Friends with Benefits
by Crazy Chick 74
Summary: It starts as a suggestion... Throw in some ropey logic... What could possibly go wrong?
1. Chapter 1: The Proposal

**So I'm back... with another story. I was going to post this tomorrow... but why wait? I wanted to write something a bit lighter after Haven/Sanctuary and this was what came about. It was originally going to be a one-shot but 21 pages in I knew it was more than that. Then I came up with a theme for the story. The title was already decided upon but I quickly realised some of the chapters resembled other films... so each chapter will be named after a Chick Flick and I'll have either taken a moment from the film as inspiration for the chapter or the title will directly represent what the chapter is about. And it seems I struggle with light and fluffy... so I can't promise there won't be some angst somewhere along the line.  
**

**One thing you should know... I've made a few things a bit different to the show. The story starts at the beginning of August 2012. Oh, and I guess you should be warned now that there is a lot of sex in this... And I mean... A LOT! Enjoy!**

**And can I just say... Lucy... what a b*tch! Kind of looking forward to and dreading next week in equal measures...  
**

**Friends with Benefits**

**Chapter 1: The Proposal.**

"You seem pretty quiet, Lauren." Joey said as he stood behind the bar in R&R. "How come you're not with your friends?" He asked, nodding in the direction of all the gang.

She shrugged, "I felt a bit like a spare part..." she said as she took another swig of her drink, wincing slightly as the alcohol hit the back of her throat.

"You could be out on the dance floor finding someone if you wanted to." He said, passing two bottles of beer to a customer and taking their money.

She shrugged again, "I don't really want that sort of thing."

"What sort of thing?" He was truly interested in finding out more now. He hadn't really had a chance to get to know her properly since arriving in Walford. Most of the times there were too many people around to really be able to talk to just her.

"Casual hook ups..." she explained, not quite meeting his eyes.

"So you want a serious relationship?" he asked.

"Not really." She smiled, her cheeks flushing slightly, "I'm difficult to please, I guess." She added with a smile.

Joey leant on the bar in front of his cousin, a lull in customers at the club giving him a few minutes break. "So what is it you want?" Even in the dim light he could see the blush on her face and he noticed her look down at her glass self-consciously.

"It's difficult to explain..."

"Try me?" he asked with a lopsided smile.

"I don't want the tie of a long-term relationship. I'm not ready for something like that but at the same time, one-night stands aren't really what I need either. Half the square already thinks I've got loose morals without me just adding to that belief."

He frowned at her last statement but didn't comment on it. "Sounds like you need someone you can turn to for sex. A friend with benefits I guess you could call it."

"How do you have that sort of thing without feelings getting in the way and messing it up?"

"I didn't say I had all the answers, Lauren. It's just an idea." Another customer walked up and he left her briefly to go and serve them.

While he was at the other end of the bar Lauren considered her cousin's suggestion. It certainly had merits. It would be nice to be able to turn to someone when the urge struck so she could scratch that itch. It was a persistent itch too. Maybe it was seeing all her friends hooked up. Whitney had Tyler; Poppy had Fats; Lucy had got together with Tamwar of all people. Even her cousin Alice was seeing Anthony, despite the concern of her brother. It wasn't exactly boosting Lauren's confidence being the only single one of the group. Maybe there was something wrong with her. Was she giving off some kind of pheromone that repelled men? Maybe she wasn't pretty enough... she could lose some weight, that might make her more appealing. She felt a little better having made that decision and turned her thoughts back to Joey's idea. Everyone was loved up apart from her and while she wasn't sure if she wanted a heavy relationship, she missed having someone. As far as she could tell, all relationships led to was heartache. Her parents weren't exactly shining examples of the perfect relationship. Something less serious seemed a better option. Joey walked back over to her and gave her a new drink. "Thanks." She said, slightly distracted.

"You look serious." He said to her.

"Just thinking about what you said." She said, looking at his face. "It's not such a bad idea." She said, smiling at him.

"I'm not just a pretty face, Lauren." He said with a smirk.

"Not even that..." she told him, completely straight-faced. She burst into giggles when she saw the shock on his face. "Sorry, I couldn't resist."

"Cute..." he said, mock anger on his face.

She held her hands up in surrender, "I apologise, Joseph Branning. No offence meant." She downed the rest of her drink and got to her feet, "I'm going to head off..." she said. "Can you let them know I've gone home?" She asked, nodding in the direction of her friends.

"Do you want me to walk you home?" Joey asked. "I can take a break... I'll be like five minutes."

"I'll be fine. It's not like I've got far to walk." Lauren said.

"Lauren, your dad would have my guts if I let you go home on your own. Humour me, okay?"

"Okay." She said, realising it was easier to just give in than put up a fight. It wasn't like it was that much of a hardship for her to say yes.

*JL*JL*

Five minutes later the cousins were walking away from the club, back towards Lauren's house. It was still early so there were plenty of people milling around the streets. "So you're thinking about it then?" he asked as they walked through the market.

"Huh?"

"What I was saying earlier..."

"Oh... kind of. I'm not sure... I guess I don't really know that many single guys to consider it an option with. Well apart from Ian Beale," Lauren rolled her eyes and mimed throwing up, "or Michael Moon. And he just gives me the creeps." She shivered in horror.

"There's always me..." he said softly.

"You're my cousin." She said, stopping walking and turning to look at him.

"Exactly. It's extra protection against the possibility of any feelings coming into the mix." He said.

She looked at his face and she could see he was being serious. "I'm not sure, Joey."

He shrugged, "It's just an idea. You don't have to take me up on it. If you don't want to, it's not a problem." He started walking towards her house again and she followed him, jogging to catch him up. "Look, even if you don't want to do what I suggested I would like to get to know you more, Lauren. So if you ever want to talk... and I do mean just talk, you know where to find me, yeah?"

"Okay..." She said with a smile. They'd reached the stairs outside her house now. "I'd better get inside..." she said softly. "Thanks for walking me home, kind sir..." She did a little curtsey before him, a smirk on her face.

"You're welcome, milady," he said, smiling as he bowed in response.

"Go on, get back to work." Lauren said, running up the stairs and waving as he started to walk away. She opened the door and went into the house, going up to her room and lying in bed. She stared at the ceiling as she thought about her conversation with her cousin. It had been a strange evening all round really.

TBC

**A/N: So what do you think? Are there any films you'd like to see included in the story? Let me know what you think or what you'd like to see.  
**

**COMING SOON... TO A FAN FIC SITE NEAR YOU... THE BACK-UP PLAN...**


	2. Chapter 2: The Back-Up Plan

**Wow... so a lot of you are excited by this story then. Good to know. So... on with the show. Enjoy!**

**Chapter 2: The Back Up Plan.**

It was two days before Lauren saw Joey again. She was in the Vic and he walked into the pub and brought a drink. She was sitting alone, as was usually the case these days, her drink was on the table in front of her, half empty. He saw her across the bar and walked over to her. He sat beside her, placing his pint on the table, next to her glass. "You alright?" he asked her quietly.

"Yeah. You?"

"I'm okay..." he said.

"You don't sound it," she told him, glancing at his face. He shrugged but didn't try denying it. "Come on then, tell me what's bothering you?"

"It's nothing."

"Now try saying it as if you mean it, Joey. It's clearly not nothing..." She said. She nudged him with her shoulder, "You can talk to me, you know." She said softly, echoing his words from their last conversation.

"Can we go somewhere?" he asked her softly, looking a little uncomfortable.

"Okay." She said. She finished her drink, "Drink up." She told him, nodding at his beer.

He downed his beer and it was then Lauren knew that whatever it was, was serious. They walked out of the bar together and Lauren followed him back to the B&B, where he was currently living. He went up the stairs and Lauren trailed behind him. He held the door to his room open for her and she entered the room. "Have a seat..." he said, gesturing towards the bed. She sat down, watching as he went and stood by the window.

"What is it, Joey?" She asked, concerned about him now. "I can see something's wrong, so tell me."

"I was thinking about what we discussed the other day." He said softly, staring out of the window. "I realised I was in the same situation as you."

"Yeah, right." She scoffed. "You could have any girl you wanted, Joey."

"All those things you said to me, Lauren. I feel exactly the same. I've never been into a long term relationship but one night stands don't really interest me anymore either."

"So you want a 'friends with benefits' deal...?" she asked.

"I've been thinking about it." He muttered.

"With me?" she whispered.

He turned and looked at her. "If you want to..."

"Why me?" she asked, looking up at him.

He moved to sit at the end of the bed. Far enough away from her that he wouldn't appear threatening. "I like you, Lauren."

"You like me?"

"I don't mean romantically." He smiled, "I mean, we get on well, right? I'd like to think we're friends. I don't have many of them, especially not round here but I know what it means to have one. And I think that's you for me in Walford."

Lauren looked at him, "Okay..."

"You mean?" Joey blinked. He hadn't expected her to say yes. Not that quickly anyway.

"We're going to have to set some ground rules." She said softly.

"Okay."

"Why don't we think about it overnight and speak again tomorrow. Maybe we both come up with lists or something..." she suggested.

"Okay." He repeated.

She tilted her head and looked at him, "You alright?"

"Yeah. I just didn't think you'd say yes... I had this whole list of things to say to try and convince you."

"You did? Like what?"

He looked down and Lauren could've sworn she saw him blush. "Well, I was going to tell you how we were the perfect people for each other. We're cousins so we'll never feel any romantic feelings for each other."

"And..." she prompted.

"Well we wouldn't let it get weird between us because it would affect the family if we did."

"Mmm."

"Neither of us is that bad to look at..." he said with a smile. She frowned. "Come on, you've got to admit I'm better than Ian Beale...?" he laughed.

"Well, yeah, I guess. Not sure if you'd beat Michael Moon though... although you're slightly less creepy," she giggled as she saw him frown. "Was there anything else?" she asked.

"I think we'd have fun." He told her softly.

"Okay... you've convinced me." She said with a smile. "I'd better go home... before mum sends out a search party. I was only supposed to be getting a pint of milk." She climbed off the bed and Joey moved to stand beside her. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small object.

"Why don't you take this?" he said, passing it to her.

"What is it?" she asked.

"A key for here." He said, again looking a little embarrassed. "I thought it'd make it easier to meet here."

"Okay." She said. "Shall I come over tomorrow then?"

"Sure." He replied. She stepped towards him and kissed him softly on the cheek.

"See you in the morning then, friend." She said with a smile, leaving the room.

TBC

**A/N: I know... another chapter without sex and I've promised you a lot. Don't worry though, it's coming (pun very much intended). So what do you think? Joey's logic about no romantic feelings developing between them because they're cousins is decidedly ropey - in my opinion anyway... but who am I to say? I'm just the writer.**

**COMING SOON... TO A FAN FIC SITE NEAR YOU... JUST FRIENDS... most definitely not child friendly... :-)**


	3. Chapter 3: Just Friends

**So here I am again. For your second chapter of the day and as promised... you may get a bit of sexing in this one. Enjoy!**

**Chapter 3: Just Friends.**

Lauren sat in the centre of the square for about an hour before she walked over to the B&B. She'd waited for Kim and Denise to leave and she knew Patrick wouldn't pose a problem... as long as she timed it right. Taking a deep breath she walked up to the building and slipped inside the door. After a couple of seconds she could tell Patrick wasn't around and she sneaked up the stairs and tapped lightly on his door. There wasn't any answer and just as she was about to knock on it again she heard Patrick talking to a customer as they came up the stairs. Doing the only thing possible she used the key Joey had given her and let herself into his room, shutting the door behind her and leaning against it.

The room was empty but she realised the door to the bathroom was closed and she could hear the sound of running water. Her head spun as she thought about her cousin in the room next door, standing in the shower and she suddenly felt hot. It wasn't that she fancied him or anything. He was her cousin after all... but she was still a woman and, to herself at least, she could admit he was good looking.

The door to the bathroom opened and she looked without thinking about what she was doing. There he stood with a small towel around his waist. How is it possible to get a towel that small to stay wrapped around his body like that? The sight just reminded her that it had been a very long time since she'd last had sex. Suddenly the scheme they'd come up with didn't seem such a stupid idea. She had an itch that needed scratching and Joey was the man volunteering for the task. She doubted she'd find a better volunteer for the job. She didn't exactly have any other plans she could fall back on.

"Lauren?" he said in surprise.

"Sorry, I knocked but Patrick was coming up the stairs and I didn't want him to start asking awkward questions... you know? So I let myself in."

"It's fine, Lauren. That's why I gave you the key." He said. He grabbed some clothes from the closet and walked back towards the bathroom, "Let me go and put some clothes on." He told her.

"Don't feel you have to," she whispered as he was about to shut the door. He paused for a fraction of a second and Lauren wasn't sure he hadn't heard her. She was mortified, she didn't even know why she'd said it.

*JL*JL*

Joey came back out of the bathroom and found Lauren pacing the room, "This was a mistake." She murmured, "I should go." She walked towards the door to the room but Joey grabbed her hand as she walked past him.

"Why don't we start today again, eh?" he said to her softly. "Let's pretend the last few minutes didn't happen."

"Okay." She said softly. Although she didn't think she could ever forget the sight of him in that towel. That image was permanently tattooed on her brain.

Joey walked over to the bed and straightened the covers. "Sit down, Lauren." She did as he asked but he could see she was slightly wary. It made him sigh. "So, did you work on a list of rules?" he asked her. She nodded. "Me too." He told her, pulling out the sheet of paper he'd written on the night before. "Why don't you start?" he suggested.

She took her own list out of her coat pocket and cleared her throat nervously, "Okay... the first one is we tell no one what we're doing."

"I had that one too..." he said, smiling at her.

"We never force the other person to do something they don't want to do." She said.

"You do know I'd never do that, right?" he asked her with a frown.

She nodded, "Yeah but I thought we should cover all the bases." She told him. He nodded in agreement. "Okay, umm, if one of us gets involved in a serious relationship, this agreement ends."

"Absolutely..."

"There is no romantic attachment whatsoever."

"Okay."

"We always use protection..." she whispered. He nodded. "We have fun."

"I'd hope so..." he said with a smirk.

"Do you have anything else?" she asked.

"Yeah, a couple. Hook ups can be suggested by either side." He looked at his cousin and saw her nod, "And we don't let this affect our friendship because if it was going to do that, I'd end it now. I don't want to lose you as my friend, Lauren."

"That's fair enough."

"So we're agreed then?" he checked.

"I think we are..."

"Should we shake on it?" She held out her hand towards him. He took her hand in his and shook it. He didn't release her hand though. He pulled her towards him and lowered his mouth to hers, tentatively kissing her. He pulled away from her after a couple of seconds, "Was it okay to do that?" he whispered. She blinked and nodded at him. "Do you want to do it again?" he asked softly. His hand still held hers and his thumb was brushing the back of her hand gently. Her response was more hesitant this time but after a brief pause she nodded. She kissed him back this time their lips met and it was a longer kiss as well. He brushed his tongue along her lips, wondering how she'd react to that step forward. She pulled away from him and he watched her face, worried he'd pushed her too far. She kissed him this time and when her tongue licked his lip he opened his mouth and let her in. He pushed her back so they were both lying on the bed and the kiss deepened, almost naturally. Both were breathing erratically when they pulled apart and they stared at each other.

"Do you want to...?" she whispered softly, her words fading as she struggled to ask him.

"Start this arrangement?" he supplied. She nodded. "Yes." He told her. He could see the fear in her eyes and if he was being honest he felt much the same. It's all very well talking about this plan but putting it into action was a whole different ball game. "How do you want to do this then?" he asked.

"I would've thought you'd be an expert." She teased him.

"Lauren! And I thought you were my friend..." he said. She laughed out loud at his words.

"I was teasing..." she said. She stood up from the bed and turned her back to him, glancing at him over her shoulder, "Come on then lover boy..." she said with a smirk. He got to his feet as well, also with his back to her. Despite what they were both about to do, both were also a bit shy about what they were doing. Quickly and quietly they both removed their clothing.

Joey heard a rustle after a couple of minutes as Lauren got into the bed. He took a deep breath and did the same, keeping his back to her as much as he could. Why was he so embarrassed? It's not like this meant anything. They lay in the bed, side by side; not touching each other but close together. An atmosphere built between them that was part nerves and part sexual tension. The last thing had always been there, festering away but never followed up by either of them. Now they were about to do something they'd both subconsciously wanted since they first met and it seemed to be preying on both their minds. Even though there was nothing romantic about this. They were only working out some kinks with a friend... a mutually beneficial arrangement. "Are we making a mistake?" Joey asked her softly. "We can pretend this didn't happen if you want to." he told her.

"This is silly. We both agreed to this." She sighed. "You want sex, yes?"

Her words were particularly blunt but he couldn't lie to her, "Yes." He replied.

"So do I. I'm horny. You're horny. Why is this such a problem for us?"

"I don't know, Lauren." He sighed.

"Joey... can we just do this? I don't want to play the desperate card... but I really need this. It's been a while..." she admitted. "I need this... now."

"Okay..." he said. He turned his head to face her and found her looking at him, "Let's start small..." he told her and he moved closer, kissing her again. His hand brushed her hair back from her face and pushed it behind her ear as he deepened the kiss. He held her head in place as his tongue swept round her mouth. Lauren edged closer, winding her arms around his neck, moaning into his mouth as she felt the contours of his body press against hers, even through the duvet.

"Joey..." she moaned softly as they pulled apart. Again both were breathing heavily and they stared at each other intensely.

He pulled away from her and initially Lauren's heart sank until she realised what he was doing. Still he kept his back to her as he pulled a condom from the bedside cupboard and put it on. After just a few seconds he was lying back next to her, his eyes searching hers, "Last chance to change your mind..." he whispered.

She shook her head, "Not going to happen..." she whispered to him. He kissed her again, each kiss seemed to get more passionate and then he moved and was lying on top of her. The duvet separating them had also gone. Lauren could feel his body pressing hers into the mattress. It was something she'd missed. She'd always liked the way it felt when a guy was lying like this with her. In a way it was reassuring to her, comforting almost. He pressed his body against hers and Lauren's eyes rolled back in her head as she felt his hard length lying against her hip.

He lifted his body from hers a little, his hand moving down to his cock. His knees nudged her legs further apart, opening her up to him. Staring into her eyes he moved his hand to her body, his fingers tentatively brushing across her, finding her already wet. His thumb pressed on her clit and she whimpered softly. The noise she made increased as his fingers brushed her opening and her hips shifted, trying to increase the pressure of his touch. He kissed her again, slipping a finger into her body. She shivered beneath him and when he pulled away and saw her eyes, he could see the passion shining on her face. "You okay?" he asked her softly.

"Mmm," she gasped. Her back arched slightly as he pushed a second finger into her, the speed of their movement also increasing. "Joe..." she murmured, staring into his eyes intently. She lifted her head to kiss him again, her tongue sweeping around his mouth as she tried to speed up what they were doing. Now they'd started doing this, she was eager to get to the main event. Foreplay was all well and good but she was here for the main course, not the starter. She tried to press herself against his hand and he pushed a third finger into her and his thumb began to almost dance over her clit. This was nice, she knew that but she was getting impatient now. "Need you, Joey." She whimpered.

"Soon..." he told her softly. "Relax, Lauren." He added, feeling her tense beneath him. "I want to make you come..." he whispered to her. She sighed, resignation washing over her face. Obviously Joey wasn't as desperate for this as she was. He saw the expression on her face, knowing she was disappointed. "Don't worry, Lauren. I'll make this good for you... but I need you to be ready." He told her softly.

"Ready?" she asked.

"I don't want to hurt you..." he admitted. "Now relax and let me do this for you." His fingers sped up and his thumb pressed much harder on her clit. Lauren's body flew over the edge, crying out in relief as her body pulsed around his hand. Joey watched her face in that moment and he knew he'd been right to do this. He pulled his hand from her and stroked his length, coating it with her moisture then moving to her opening and pressing against her. Lauren felt him there and her eyes widened as he began to push into her. He was stretching her in a way she'd never been before and she realised his earlier efforts had been preparing her for this moment. She groaned as she felt her body stretch around him, her previous peak finally ebbing away. She lifted a leg off the mattress and put it around his waist, urging his body closer to her. She gasped as he moved into her faster than he'd intended and he looked at her in concern. "You okay?" he asked softly. She nodded but he could see tears pooling in her eyes. He kissed her lips tenderly, "I did say I didn't want to hurt you..."

"Just do it, Joey." She whispered to him.

He took a deep breath and thrust the rest of the way into her. Lauren tensed beneath him again and he didn't move once he was fully in her. "Sorry..." he told her gently.

"God, Joey... you have nothing to apologise for." She told him with a soft smile. "Who knew... eh?" she giggled.

"Killing the mood, Lauren..." he muttered.

"Sorry," she whispered, lifting her head and kissing his lips. "God, this feels so good. It's been such a long time..." Her face flushed as she realised what she'd just told him.

"For me too..." he breathed, pressing his lips against her cheek. His words made her feel better. He moved slightly and they both moaned. Joey moved his hands, brushing one down the side of her body. The other swept up into her hair, playing with the ends of it. His hips pressed against hers as his right hand traced back up her side, pausing briefly and grazing the side of her boob.

She whimpered and he pulled his hand away from her quickly, "Don't stop..." she told him, staring into his eyes. "Please..." He smiled at her and moved his hand back, cupping her breast and seeing her bite her lip.

"Lauren..." he whispered, moving his head forward and kissing her deeply. He moved within her faster, his climax closer than it had been before. His thumb brushed over her nipple and her back lifted off the bed, his name falling from her in a soft moan. "Did you like that?" he asked her. She nodded, licking her lips. "How about this?" he said, lowering his head and pulling her nipple into his mouth, teasing the tip with his tongue and sucking gently. Her hands brushed into his hair, clasping him against her body and her body began to tighten on him. "I take it that's a yes..." he breathed against her chest with a chuckle.

"Stop teasing me..." she gasped.

"I'm not teasing, I'm working out what you like..." he said. He lifted his head and stared into her eyes, his hips shifting up a gear as he turned it up a notch. She moaned loudly as she reached her peak and Joey was close behind her, his face burying into her neck. They lay there for a few minutes while they calmed before Joey moved away from her, both of them staring at the ceiling.

Lauren climbed out of the bed and began to pull her clothes back on her body. Joey lay watching her dress, a small frown on his face. She turned to face him as she did her jeans up. She leant forward and kissed him softly on the lips. "Thanks, Joey. It was... good." She smirked at him, "I guess I'll be in touch..."

TBC

**A/N: So the first time is out of the way... and it wasn't exactly hearts and flowers... most definitely a little bit of awkward sex... Did that come across? Who do you think will start to struggle with the arrangement first? Let me know what you think.**

**COMING SOON... TO A FAN FIC SITE NEAR YOU... WHILE YOU WERE SLEEPING...**


	4. Chapter 4: While You Were Sleeping

**Morning! So the awkward sex seemed to go down quite well... Glad you liked it. Anyway here we are again... it seems Lauren is back for more - so obviously she enjoyed herself as well...**

**Chapter 4: While You Were Sleeping.**

Lauren walked into R&R's two nights later. She'd spent the evening at the Vic with her friends but when they stopped paying her attention because they were wrapped up in their relationships, she'd left the pub. It wasn't like she expected to be centre of attention but when she's completely ignored by all of them there seemed little point in staying. So now she hoped she'd be able to get some help. From a certain barman. And friend.

"Hello friend," she said as she sat on one of the bar stools.

He smiled, "You here on your own?"

"Yeah... everyone else was busy." She said with a slight grimace. He put a drink down in front of her. "Thanks."

"Was there anything else?" he asked as she passed him money for the drink.

"Maybe..." she said with a slight smile. "When do you finish here?"

"Not for a few hours..." he said. He stepped away and served some customers before returning to where she sat. "You could wait for me... at my place, if you don't want to stay here."

"Trying to get rid of me already?" she chuckled. "At least my friends had a reason for ditching me."

"I'm not ditching you... I just didn't want you to feel you had to stay here. We can meet up later..." he told her quietly.

"I'll stay here for a while... I thought we could chat. You said you wanted to get to know me, now is your opportunity." She took a sip of her drink. "So what do you want to know...?"

"God, I don't know... give me a sec..." he served a few more customers then was back in front of her. "Favourite colour?"

"Really? That's the best you could come up with? Of all the things you want to know, you ask me what my favourite colour is...?" She laughed at him.

He looked away from her in embarrassment, "I panicked..." he said.

"It's black..." she stated.

"Should've guessed really." He said with a smile. "What was it that's put you off being in a relationship?"

She smirked, "My parents." She said. "Watching them going backwards and forwards in their on again, off again relationship... it's not exactly showing me the best parts. What about you?"

"Just don't like it when a girl gets clingy, I guess. Not the girls I've been out with anyway." He said with a shrug.

"And what is your type?" She asked.

"I thought I was asking the questions?"

"I'll tell you if you'll tell me...?" she said with a smirk.

"Pretty, skinny, usually blonde."

"Really? That's your type...?" she said.

"Why? What's so surprising about that?"

"Just doesn't seem like the kind of person you'd go for..."

"What about you then?"

"It depends on whether you want me to tell you the kind of person I usually go for or whether you want to know the type of person I'm looking for?"

"Both."

"You can only choose one." She told him.

"Why?" he asked, quirking his eyebrow at her.

"You only deserve the answer to one of them." She got to her feet, "I'll be back in a minute." She told him. She wandered off in the direction of the ladies. He continued serving customers in her absence as he wondered which question he wanted the answer to. He saw her walking back towards him a few minutes later and he allowed his eyes to drift over her body. He wondered if she realised how sexy she actually was. "So have you chosen?" she asked as she sat back down.

"You choose..." he said.

"Okay, I'll tell you the kind of person I usually go for." She said with a smirk, noting the vague hint of disappointment on his face, "Bad boys, I guess." She admitted simply.

"That's it?" he asked in confusion.

"Yep."

"I thought you said you were difficult to please?"

"As me now, I am but when I've had too much to drink... well let's just say I'm not so picky." She stared down at her drink, her cheeks flushing slightly.

"So bad boys are your thing?"

"That's not what I said... they're who I usually go for." She said with a smirk. Joey walked away to serve some more customers and she watched him. She knew he had a bit of a bad boy image himself although she was beginning to doubt that was actually the case. The more she got to know him the more she came to realise there were hidden depths to her cousin.

Joey stood back in front of her again about a quarter of an hour later and got her a new drink. "So where do your parents think you're going to be tonight?" he asked.

"Staying at Whit's." She replied.

"And where does Whit think you're going to be?"

"I told her I was meeting up with someone... she knows to cover for me if she's asked anything."

"Didn't she want to know who you were meeting?"

"Yeah," Lauren admitted, "but I told her it was nothing serious and changed the subject." She shrugged, looking a little embarrassed at what she'd just told him. She glanced at the watch, "Shall I wait for you back at yours?" she asked him softly.

"Yeah," he said. "I shouldn't be too long." He said. "A couple of hours, tops." He stared at her intently and she smiled at him, her face colouring slightly as they held each other's gaze.

"See you later then, friend." She said softly, as she got to her feet. He smirked at her and nodded his head before turning to serve another customer.

*JL*JL*

It was just under two hours later that Joey left the club. It was with a spring in his step that he walked back towards the B&B. He felt his heart rate increase as he climbed the stairs and he tried to keep calm as he slid the key into the door to his room. The lights were off as he entered the room and he stood for a few seconds after shutting the door to allow his eyes to acclimatise to the darkness. He looked towards the bed and saw she was asleep in his bed. He knew he was supposed to wake her; that she was here because of their arrangement and nothing else but why was he reluctant to do so? It wasn't like he didn't want to have sex with her. Of course he did. Their time together a couple of days earlier had been amazing. Something had felt off though and even now he still wasn't sure what it was. He sighed and began to pull off his clothes, stripping down to his underwear. Carefully he climbed in the bed beside her. He lay still for several seconds, seeing if she woke up from his movement. She didn't. He turned his head and looked at her. She really was beautiful. She always looked beautiful to him and now was no different. Looking at her now though she was more unguarded than she usually was, she looked at peace; any of the hardness she usually displayed on her face was gone. He moved a little closer to her, needing to touch her in some way. Of its own free will his hand moved and pushed her hair back from her face, tucking it behind her ear. A smile curved her mouth and he wondered if she'd woken up, especially when she turned her face into his hand but it appeared she hadn't. She did surprise him though because she moved closer to him, into his arms in fact and he was shocked when her body pressed against his. His arm that was around her ran down her back, surprised when he realised he found she was wearing one of his T-shirts. She just kept surprising him even more. As he felt his eyes begin to close he made a startling revelation that he could get used to this.

TBC

**A/N: So Joey's already struggling - that didn't take long did it? Although he doesn't quite know what is wrong... he just knows it doesn't feel quite right. Lauren stills makes him nervous too... hence the panic he had in the bar.  
**

**COMING SOON... TO A FAN FIC SITE NEAR YOU... MORNING GLORY... **

**Ooh I say (to quote Dot). I wonder what that might be about...  
**


	5. Chapter 5: Morning Glory

**So it's the morning after the night before and how will Lauren react to Joey not waking her up. Will Joey be able to pacify her?**

**Chapter 5: Morning Glory.**

Joey woke before Lauren and he couldn't help but smile when he found she was still in his arms. Part of him had expected her to have gone by the time he woke up. He pulled her closer to him and she stirred in her sleep. She opened an eye, looking up at his face, a slight frown on her face. "You didn't wake me up?" she whispered.

"You looked too peaceful," he told her gently "and I was knackered..."

"I should go..." she said softly, starting to pull from his arms.

"Didn't you want to...?" he asked. She stopped moving and turned back to look at him.

"Joey..." she sighed.

"Well I assumed there was a reason for you coming to my room? I thought you wanted something from me. I didn't think you'd want to leave without getting what you came for." He said. He could see the conflicting emotions wash over her face.

"You make it sound so clinical..." she whispered.

"Isn't that what this is supposed to be? We have an agreement where we have sex with each other. You came here last night because you wanted sex, yes?" She nodded silently. "And we didn't have sex, did we?"

"We would've done, if you'd woke me up..." she protested.

"Oh, because that would've gone down well, wouldn't it?" Joey said, knowing how his cousin would've reacted if he'd chosen to wake her in the early hours of the morning. He smiled at her and he saw her face soften. "I really enjoyed it last time... and I thought you did too..." He sat up and leant forward, brushing his lips against her cheek, slowly moving his mouth towards her ear, "Don't you want to do it again?" he whispered huskily. "I know I do..." he admitted. She moaned softly as he pulled his face away from her. He swooped in and kissed her deeply, his tongue sweeping into her mouth. He leant further into her, pushing her backwards so she was lying back on the bed, him hovering over her. Joey decided that this time he wanted to get better acquainted with her body. He wanted to know what made her tick. "I see you ransacked my clothes..." he murmured into her neck and heard her giggle. "Kind of disappointing this looks better on you than me." She laughed harder.

"That's because I make everything look good... haven't you realised that yet?" she whispered to him.

"No argument from me, babe." He said as he pushed the T-shirt up her body. He lifted it over her head and saw her blush slightly as his eyes drifted down her body. "You're stunning." He told her softly. Her face darkened even further in colour and he smiled. He leant forward again and kissed her lips, moaning as he felt her kiss him back heatedly. He dragged his mouth from hers and kissed down her neck, feeling her tilt her head back to give him better access. He sucked on her skin at the base of her neck and she groaned softly. His mouth moved lower and when he reached her breast he did as he'd done last time and pulled its peak into his mouth and sucked hard. She reacted instantly, a loud moan slipping from her lips. He kissed further down her body, feeling her wriggling beneath him. She moaned again when his mouth slipped lower, kissing her mound gently.

"What are you doing, Joey?" she gasped as he pulled her clit between his lips.

He lifted his head, "Do I really have to explain it to you, Lauren?" he asked, quirking his eyebrow.

"The agreement was sex..." she said.

"Oral sex is still sex... as far as I'm aware, babe." She doesn't respond to his comment, "Do you want me to stop?" he asked, suddenly worried she was going to push him away. He watched her face and he knew her answer before she even shook her head. He lowered his face again and continued what he'd been trying to start seconds earlier.

Lauren lay on the bed, closing her eyes as she let the sensations Joey was creating wash over her. She wanted him to touch her and bring her to her peak like he had done the other night. She'd never really enjoyed what he was doing now with anyone else and she doubted this would be any different. Her mind froze as his mouth moved lower and then his tongue was pushing into her body and all previous thoughts vanished in an instant. Oh. My. God. Her eyes rolled back into her head as his tongue licked her opening. His thumb danced around her clit and Lauren was almost seeing stars. She was balanced on a knife's edge, so close to falling into oblivion but unable to quite finish. She gasped as his thumb pressed hard on her clit and her body broke apart into a million pieces. She was lying on the bed, a gooey mess of satisfaction as he kissed back up her body, pausing briefly to remove his underwear. He appeared in front of her face and kissed her passionately. She could taste herself on his lips and then his tongue was in her mouth and the taste became stronger. It was strangely intoxicating. She could feel his cock against her thigh and she ran her hand down his side and took it in her hand. He was huge. He sighed into her mouth as she began to stroke him and she made a very quick decision. She nudged his shoulder and he lifted his mouth from hers, frowning. "Move..." she whispered. He still looked confused as he rolled over onto his back and she could tell he thought he'd done something to upset her. "Close your eyes..." she whispered as she moved towards where he lay, running her eyes up and down his body once he had done so. He really was a perfect specimen of a man and she wondered why he'd never been snapped up by anyone. Her hand moved back to his length, taking him in her hand and starting to stroke him again. His cock was just about the prettiest she'd ever seen and being careful not to give him any clue of what she was about to do, she moved and slipped the head of his penis in her mouth. She heard him inhale sharply as her lips wrapped around him.

"Lauren..." he breathed. Her eyes drifted up his body and she found him staring down at her.

She pulled away from him, "Who said you could open your eyes?"

"Needed to see you..." he gasped as she pulled him back into her mouth. "You have no idea how good that feels, babe." He moaned, his voice deepening slightly.

She let him fall from her mouth again but this time she moved so she was crouched between his legs. He was still watching her; she could feel his eyes staring down at her. She slipped the hair band off her wrist and pulled her hair back into a messy bun. She moved up his body and pressed a soft kiss to his mouth, feeling him try to deepen it but lose out as she dragged herself away. She dotted kisses down the centre of his chest and stomach, her thumbs running gently over his well-formed abs. She dragged her tongue down the trail leading to his cock, her eyes locking with his as she edged ever closer to her goal. She slipped the head of his cock back between her lips and she saw his hands clutch at the sheets. She must be doing something right. She didn't do this often; hadn't ever really wanted to do it. Until now. She'd probably only done it two or three times before but she'd never got any complaints. That being said, she'd never been with someone as well endowed as her cousin either... so who knew what was about to happen.

She felt his fingers brush into her hair as her tongue licked the tip of his penis, his hips shifting beneath her hands. His thumb stroked the side of her cheek so gently that Lauren moaned around his length. Joey murmured her name and she smiled around him. Her confidence grew and she let a little more of him into her mouth. Her fingers moved from his hips and grazed his balls, her hand cupping them gently. She moved on his length faster and she knew it wouldn't be long before he came... and she had a decision to make. She put her mouth to further use, moving faster and faster, feeling his cock grow further, if that was at all possible. She glanced up at his face and her eyes locked on his. Her other hand moved from his hip and circled the bottom of his shaft, stroking him firmly. His eyes were so dark as he stared at her and she could tell he was close. She stopped moving her hand and took him deeper in her mouth, seeing his eyes roll back slightly as she moaned around him. It was only seconds later that he filled her mouth and despite her earlier reservations she swallowed it all eagerly. He pulsed in her mouth for several seconds and she swirled her tongue around him. Gradually he slipped from her mouth and she crawled up his body, hovering over his chest. She pecked him on the lips, "Was that okay?" she whispered, suddenly feeling a little unsure of herself.

"Do you really have to ask?" he asked her softly.

"I wanted to make sure you enjoyed it..." she told him.

"Oh, I enjoyed it. There's no need to worry about that." He murmured as his hand reached up and brushed the side of her face, tucking her hair behind her ear.

"Do you have to be anywhere?" she asked. He shook his head, smiling at her. "Good... I haven't finished with you yet." She kissed him softly before lowering her mouth to his chest. She worshipped his firm chest, placing soft kisses repeatedly over it. His hands grazed the skin at the side of her body and brushed down her arms so one hand slipped in hers and their fingers entwined. He wrapped his other arm around her body and pulled her up so he could kiss her mouth, tightening his hold on her so they were pressed against one another. Joey rolled them over so he was now lying on top of her and he lifted his head and stared into her eyes.

"I think this is possibly the best way to wake up in the morning..." he told her softly. She smiled at him and lifted her head, kissing his lips.

"It certainly beats my normal wakeup call... mind you, that's normally my mum or dad screaming up at me to get out of bed." She told him.

"You up for round two?" he asked.

"Yes..." she said, smirking at him, "but I guess the more important question is, are you?" Her hand drifted down his body and grasped his hard length firmly, "Well, it seems you are..." She giggled as she saw his eyes roll back in his eye as she stroked him. "Suit up, babe..." she whispered.

He rolled away from her and retrieved a condom, as requested. Lauren surprised him by moving to sit beside him and then rolling the latex onto him. Before he could even think about it she had moved again, shifting so she was straddling his lap. Ever so slowly she lowered herself onto his length, moaning softly as he slid into her body. Joey gripped her hips and watched her face as she bit her lip. The look of concentration on her face was enthralling and he leant forward and kissed her mouth. His hands drifted up her body, pausing briefly to cup her breasts before climbing higher and caressing her cheeks. He deepened the kiss as she moved on him, Lauren choosing to keep the pace slow. If he thought it was good last time this time was even better. He wondered if that would be the case every time they did this... If that was the case he was eager for more.

*JL*JL*

Lauren lay on his chest, both of them trying to recover from what had been a somewhat surprising experience. Joey was pretty sure that Lauren would agree, this hadn't been what she'd expected when she'd come to the club last night. Not that either of them were complaining, mind. The aftermath of it felt different from last time too and Joey wasn't sure why. He wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her close, pressing his lips against her forehead. She started to pull away from him and he tightened his grip.

"Joey, I need to go..." she told him.

"If you go now, someone will see you." He told her. "Kim and Denise will be down there serving breakfast..." She looked at him for several minutes and finally relented, resting her head back against his chest.

"We're going to have to change things, Joey. I can't keep staying here until the middle of the morning before I can sneak out. We're going to have to sort something out..."

"I will..." he told her but his heart sank at her words.

*JL*JL*

Joey watched from the window as Lauren walked across the square back to her house. Something was bugging him about this and he couldn't work out what it was. He knew he was happy with the arrangement he had with his cousin but at the back of his mind an alarm bell was ringing. He sighed and walked across the room to the bathroom. It was time to start another day.

TBC

**A/N: So a chapter that is basically just sex... Thoughts? Joey is starting to question a few things now, isn't it? Lauren still seems stuck on the whole arrangement aspect of it though. Don't worry, subconsciously she's definitely in the same place as Joey, she's just not as aware of it as much as he is.**

**COMING SOON... TO A FAN FIC SITE NEAR YOU... SIMPLY IRRESISTIBLE.**


	6. Chapter 6: Simply Irresistible

**I'm changing back to one chapter a day now... I'm hoping if I do that this story should finish close to the return of Lauren. Looking forward to this week's episodes... I think Jacqueline is going to be amazing... but at the same time I'm dreading them too. It's such a quandary.**

**Anyway the last chapter was all sex... well guess what... this one isn't much different. Such a shame. Enjoy!  
**

**Chapter 6: Simply Irresistible.**

It had been several days since their last hook up. Joey hadn't even seen her since that morning. He pulled his mobile out of his pocket and scrolled through to her number. He sent her a quick text, hoping she'd respond.

He went back to work, serving the customers who were standing at the bar. He felt his mobile vibrate in his pocket about fifteen minutes after he'd sent the text and he was itching to read what she'd said. Unfortunately he had a job to do so he couldn't look. He'd find out soon enough because his shift ended shortly.

*JL*JL*

He was finally done and as he walked up the stairs out of the club he pulled his mobile from his pocket.

_I'm in your room. :-)_

He smiled and jogged back to the B&B. This was just what he needed.

*JL*JL*

He pushed open the door to his room and found her sitting on his bed. "Hey babe..." he said softly as he shut the door.

"Hey..." she breathed. Her head was resting on her knees and he could tell something was on her mind.

"You okay?"

"Yeah. Just stuff at home, you know...?" She glanced at him and he could see sadness in her eyes that he wanted to wipe away.

He held his hand out towards her and was somewhat relieved when she took it. He pulled on her hand and she got to her feet, moving to stand in front of him. "Why don't we add something to our agreement... when we're here, it's just the two of us. All of the other drama in our lives is forgotten. Does that sound good?" he asked her softly. She nodded and he pulled her into his arms, hugging her tightly.

"You smell..." she said several minutes later.

"Charming..." he said, smiling into her hair.

"No, I mean it... you smell of stale beer and cheap wine."

"I'll tell Sharon you said that." He teased her, "I wouldn't think you'd mind..." he added gently, dodging backwards when she attempted to hit his chest. "Joking, Lauren...!" he told her, holding his hands up in surrender. "I'll go and have a shower then..." he said, moving away from her and gathering some clean clothes and a towel. He turned to face her, walking backwards to the bathroom, "Unless you want to join me?" he asked softly. She looked at him and he could see the surprise on her face... and the plain wanton look in her eyes. He turned and threw one more comment over his shoulder before leaving the room, "Bedside table, Lauren..."

*JL*JL*

He heard the door open and shut as he stood near the shower. He'd already turned on the shower and was letting the water warm up. He turned his head and saw her leaning against the bathroom door. She looked unsure of herself. He strode across the small room to stand in front of her and crushed his mouth to hers, taking one more step and pressing her body against the door. Her hands clutched at his arms, eventually releasing and winding around his neck. His mouth left hers, travelling down her neck and sucking on the skin where it met her shoulder. She groaned into his ear, her fingers raking through his hair. She moaned his name as she felt his erection press against her stomach and soon she was pulling at his shirt, literally trying to tear it from his body. "Babe... I kind of need to keep this for work..." he breathed heavily against her neck.

"Then take it off before I rip it off..." she whimpered, her need for him clear in her voice.

"You're eager tonight..." he whispered as he stepped back and did as she asked.

"I need this..." she admitted softly.

"You could've called me..." he reminded her, throwing his shirt to the floor where it was quickly forgotten.

"Didn't want to appear desperate," she whispered as she pulled him back towards her and kissed him deeply.

"I wish you had..." he breathed, "because I certainly was. Why do you think I texted you?" His hands brushed up her body and soon her top was joining his shirt on the floor.

"Need you, Joe..." she whimpered as he pushed her skirt up her legs and practically tore her knickers from her. Her hands were working frantically on his jeans and rolling on the condom before they even made it as far as his knees, then he was pushing into her, both of them sighing in relief as they were once again united. They stilled for several seconds, clinging together as they regained a little of their composure. Joey's mouth searched for hers blindly as he began to thrust into her. It was like an explosion of passion as they both strived towards their much sought after goal. Her legs wound around his waist, pulling him into her as her ankles locked together. "So good..." she breathed against the damp skin of his shoulder.

"Tell me about it, Lauren..." he gasped, his hips moving faster as the end got closer. "I've missed this..." he moaned, "I've missed you..."

"Me too, Joe." She moaned into his ear, kissing his cheek tenderly.

Two more thrusts of his hips and he buried his face in her neck and shoulder, his peak hitting him hard. She cried out his name seconds later, her body tightening on him so deliciously that it drew his own out longer. He leant against her heavily, his weight the only thing keeping her where she was. "Shower," he whispered several minutes later.

"Do you think there's any hot water left?" she breathed.

He pulled from her body and lowered her feet to the floor, gently removing the remainder of both their clothes. He took one of her hands in his and pulled her over to the cubicle. Sticking his hand under the water he smiled at her, "We're in luck... but we should probably be quick..."

She smirked at him, "I could probably handle a quickie..." she giggled. She stood on tiptoes and kissed his lips passionately, backing into the cubicle and pulling him with her.

Joey couldn't believe that he was ready for round two already. This girl was simply too irresistible for words. It wasn't long before he was pushing back into her, this time going slower and being more tender with her than the last time. Their need for each other, while still there, wasn't as desperate as it had been when he'd first got back to his room. So Joey was planning on taking his time with her this time round. Maybe this way he could convince her to not leave it so long until they got together again.

TBC

**A/N: So there you go... both were a little desperate for each other, don't you think? Considering this is just an arrangement between friends. Joey's still more aware of his feelings than Lauren though.**

**COMING SOON... TO A FAN FIC SITE NEAR YOU... THE BODYGUARD.**

**Back tomorrow...**


	7. Chapter 7: The Bodyguard

**So here is the next chapter... I hope you're all looking for little signs from them both about Joey and Lauren's true feelings. There are a few of them in this one... and more sex! Enjoy!**

**Chapter 7: The Bodyguard.**

Lauren was in R&R's with Whitney, Lucy and Poppy. They were having a girl's night out. It was their first one in several months since Lucy's dad had disappeared and subsequently returned. Alice was supposed to be going as well but she was going out on a last minute date with Anthony instead so it was just the four of them. Lauren had been looking forward to this night for a while... it was nice to catch up with the girls again. The night also had the added benefit of Joey being there, although he was working so it did limit their time together. Actually the biggest limiting factor on their time together was her friends but hopefully she would be able to go home with him. She was dying for some time with him. Not that she was willing to admit that... even to herself most of the time.

She was pleasantly drunk at the moment but intended to not get any drunker. Without her friend's realising she'd switched to water, earning a small smile from Joey as she ordered it from him with the drinks for the others. Did it make her silly that seeing him smile at her made her blush? She wasn't sure and pushed the thought away, buried in the back of her mind. She found she was doing that quite a lot over the last couple of weeks.

Poppy dragged her onto the dance floor and Lauren lost herself in the music, every now and again catching Joey's eye. She was more than aware he was watching her and the feeling in the pit of her stomach at that knowledge was warming and a little confusing if she was being honest with herself... which she wasn't. Not about that anyway. That was another thing she was doing a lot over the last few weeks.

The night moved on and she smiled at Joey every time her friend's brought back another round of drinks and she found hers was just a glass of water. She knew he'd realised she wanted to stay sober... he knew what that meant.

A group of lads, who were all very drunk, wandered over and joined them, beginning chatting them up. Whitney and the other told them they were involved with someone which left Lauren in a bit of a quandary. She couldn't say that, for two reasons. Firstly, she wasn't in a relationship, technically. She had an agreement with a friend that he would be her 'go to' guy, in times of need. That wasn't a boyfriend thing. The feelings that thought invoked were pushed to one side for later consideration... maybe. Secondly, none of her friends knew about this arrangement so it would be difficult to explain that she wasn't available. They all thought she was single. How could she say she wasn't interested in any of these guys? She was perfectly happy with the arrangement she had. What was there to not be happy about? She was having amazing sex with someone who was close to being her best friend these days. It helped that he was pretty nice to look at as well... much nicer than the guys who were now all actively flirting with her. How did she get herself in these situations?

Lauren glanced in Lucy's direction, hoping for an assist from her but all she found was Lucy smirking at her before walking off to dance with Whitney and Poppy. Why would she do that? She looked at the bar but could see Joey was snowed under with customers. "Look guys, I'm really not interested..." she told them, taking a step back. They looked at each other and moved closer to her. She blanched slightly when one of them placed his hand on her bum. Well, that was a bit forward!

"Your friend told us you were a sure thing..." one of them leered at her.

She was getting frightened now. She could smell the alcohol on his breath and it made her want to vomit. Is this what it was like for Joey when he kissed her? Seriously this just made her more desperate to stop drinking than ever before.

"Don't you want to spend some time with us?" another said, leaning forward and pulling her towards him.

"No I don't..." she cried out, trying to push him away from her but his friends were still there and she was trapped. "Let me go..." she said, struggling in his grasp. She turned her head to try and catch someone's attention and then one of them was kissing her, his tongue in her mouth. She wasn't even sure at this stage which one of them it was. She felt a hand slide up her leg, pushing her skirt higher and then he went to touch her and she froze, panic setting in as she realised how bad a situation she was now in.

She wasn't sure what happened next. She heard a loud crash and felt one of the guys, the one kissing her, suddenly disappear. She'd closed her eyes a couple of minutes earlier, preparing herself for what was about to happen and now, she was too plain scared to open them again. She heard a yelp from the guy with his hands creeping up her legs and he disappeared too. She could breathe again now and she risked peeking with one eye to see what was happening. Before she could do that though she felt a strong pair of arms wrap around her; she froze again for a second before realising these were familiar arms belonging to her best friend. The tears that had been threatening for the last five minutes chose that time to appear and Lauren buried her face in his shirt as she became overwhelmed with everything. She felt his hand brushing up and down her back and it was his touch that grounded her and calmed her. He was what she needed.

"Lauren, are you okay?" It was Whitney and she was standing behind her.

Lauren could only nod, not quite able to find her voice. "She is now..." Joey said darkly, glaring at his cousin's friend. "Do you know what they were about to do to her?" he growled, seeing Lucy and Poppy join Whitney. The tears started again as his words reminded her what had nearly happened and his arm tightened around her waist.

"Joey, what's going on here?" Sharon asked, walking over, obviously concerned by the chaos that surrounded them.

"Three guys took things a bit too far with Lauren..." Joey said, "I managed to stop them."

"Lauren, are you okay, darling?" Sharon asked in concern. "Do you want me to get your mum?" Lauren shook her head but it was unclear to Sharon which question she was responding to. "Joey, why don't you take Lauren home? I'll cover the bar for the rest of the shift for you."

"Thanks Sharon." Joey said, "Come on, babe. Let's go..." Lauren stepped away from him and he put his arm around her shoulder, pulling her back against his body as he led her out of the club. They paused at the cloakroom to pick up Lauren's coat and were then back out on the street. He began to lead her towards her house but she quickly protested.

"Don't want to go home..." she whispered, her voice hoarse and weak.

"Do you want to come back to mine?" he asked her softly. She nodded her head tiredly. He altered their direction and was soon pushing her into his room. He left her stood in the middle of the room while he grabbed her one of his T-shirts to wear. He slowly pushed the dress off her body, trying not to notice the slight flinch from her when he first touched her. He slid the T-shirt over her head and arms. Once he was done he lifted her chin with his finger so she was looking at his face. "It's over now, Lauren. You're going to be alright now." She blinked and gazed up at him.

"I was so scared..." she whispered, her voice breaking on the last word.

"I know." He told her gently. His hand brushed up the side of her face and cupped her cheek. "I was worried I wouldn't get there in time." He admitted.

"They were going to rape me, Joey..." she murmured. "I tried to tell them no but they ignored me. She told them I was a 'sure thing'."

"She who?" Joey asked.

"I don't know but I think it might've been Lucy." She whispered, unable to look at his face as she told him.

"I thought she was your friend..."

"So did I..." she said softly. His thumb stroked her cheek and her eyes flickered up to his, seeing the serious expression on his face. "Can I stay here tonight?" she asked.

"Course you can." Joey told her. He moved away from her and began to pull his clothes off his body until he was wearing just his boxers. He turned back towards the bed and found her watching him. He took her hand in his and led her to the bed, pulling back the covers and urging her onto the bed. He climbed in beside her and she quickly moved into his arms, resting her head on his chest. His hand brushed under the shirt she was wearing and his fingertips brushed softly over her skin.

"Thanks Joe..." she whispered.

"What for?"

"Saving me tonight... letting me stay here..." she whispered. "For looking after me..."

"I'll always look after you, babe." He told her softly, turning his head slightly so he could kiss her forehead. "Get some sleep, Lauren. You're safe now... I've got you." He whispered against her skin. She snuggled into him a little more and soon she was asleep. "I've got you, babe..." he whispered into the darkness before joining her in sleep.

*JL*JL*

Lauren woke up the next morning, safely in her cousin's arms and she smiled. Her thoughts drifted to the events of the previous night and some tension must've seeped into her body because Joey's arm tightened around her slightly and his hand brushed down her back and settled on her bum, pulling her closer to him. She glanced up at his face and saw he was still sleeping. She tried not to think about the fact he was touching her more intimately than any of the guys from the night before had done but it didn't bother her in the slightest that he was doing so. Was it wrong that she liked how the heat of his hand felt like it was searing her skin? Even though she was still wearing her knickers his hand was like a furnace.

Lauren turned her head slightly and kissed his chest, feeling his breathing alter as she did so, so she knew he was awake. "Morning..." he said softly. "How are you feeling?"

"The best I've felt in weeks..." she said, smiling as she put her head back on his chest. "It's probably because I don't have a hangover." She added, "I should thank you for that as well as everything else..."

"It's alright, babe." He kissed her forehead, something he was doing pretty regularly these days. "Why did you switch to water anyway?"

"I didn't want to get drunk... I was hoping I could come over to yours..." He looked down at her face, staring deeply into her eyes. "I wanted to be sober..." she whispered. She wasn't sure who moved first but their mouths joined in a heated kiss that seemed to last forever. Both were breathing deeply as they pulled apart and neither seemed able to tear their eyes away from the other.

Lauren bit her lip and Joey moaned as his eyes flitted down to her mouth. "Do you know how much that turns me on...?" he told her, his hand lifting and his thumb pulling her lip from between her teeth as his fingers caressed her cheek. "Do you want to...?"

"Do you?" she asked, tilting her face so her cheek pressed into the palm of his hand.

"Does the day end in a y?" he asked, smirking at her. Lauren felt her cheeks heat and his smile grew as he saw it.

"Don't tease me, Joe..." she whispered.

"I'm not, babe..." He swooped down and stole another kiss from her. "Don't you know by now... I could do this each and every day. Sex with you is amazing, Lauren. I always want more..."

"I think I could too..." She frowned slightly, "I thought this arrangement was supposed to satisfy my needs..." she murmured.

"Are you saying I don't?" he asked, his tone a little affronted.

"No... I mean yes, you do... but it's just making me want it more often." She pulled away from him and sat up, turning her back to him. "I've gone from getting none... to needing you all the time. That's not fair to you, Joe." She felt the bed shift as he moved and he pulled her back against his chest, his legs either side of her hips.

"Do you hear me complaining?" he breathed against her neck. "I like this arrangement... in fact there's nothing about this I don't like, Lauren." His hands slipped under the shirt she was wearing and he gradually lifted it up her body, only moving his mouth from kissing her neck so he could pull it over her head. "I want you, Lauren." He whispered, "Don't you want this too?" he asked her softly and he felt her nod once, unable to verbally respond. Joey lifted her in his arms and turned her so she was facing him and straddling his lap. He pulled her tight against his body and pressed his mouth against hers in a passionate kiss. He was already aroused, he found he was most mornings these days, especially since this arrangement started so it was always a relief when Lauren was there to assist with his 'problem'. Much more satisfactory as far as Joey was concerned as well; it certainly beat the days when she wasn't there and he had to deal with it himself. He moved against her and froze, remembering what she'd been through last night. "Is this okay, babe?"

Her eyes were closed and she opened them lazily, "Huh?"

He could see the desire within each chocolaty brown orb, "I forgot about everything last night... I wanted to make sure you were okay with this..." he asked softly.

"I'll be more upset if you don't, Joe." She said, kissing him softly on the mouth.

They both paused and stared at each other before a minute of frantically pushing the last remnants of their clothing off their bodies. Joey thrust into her quickly, her back arching as he stretched her with his length. "Oh god..." he moaned, feeling her body constrict on him already. He lowered his weight on top of her slightly and her arms pulled him closer, her legs wrapping around his waist. She clung to him tightly as his hips set a gruelling pace. Both were desperate to reach that coveted high but there was also a small part of Joey that didn't want this to end. He was growing fond of these moments he shared with his cousin.

All too soon it was over though. Joey collapsed on top of Lauren, her arms and legs still wrapped around his body. They were both damp with sweat and felt exhausted but there was also exhilaration within both of them. Never had they had it so good.

TBC

**A/N: Isn't Lucy a cow? It seemed appropriate after last night's show that she could be the "villain of the piece". Thoughts?**

**COMING SOON... TO A FAN FIC SITE NEAR YOU... 10 THINGS I HATE ABOUT YOU!**

**Well that title might get you wondering... what do you think is going to happen?**


	8. Chapter 8: 10 Things I Hate About You

**So this chapter is one of my favourites in this story. I hope you like it too. Enjoy!**

**Chapter 8: 10 Things I Hate About You.**

Lauren woke early which was a surprise and yet not at the same time. It was the day she'd been dreading for almost a week now. A family gathering of all the Branning's at her parent's house. Now usually these were nothing short of a disaster and she would shy away from them as often as she could but today promised to be even worse than normal. The main reason for this was the presence of her Uncle Derek, who nobody seemed to really like even though he assumed he was loved by all. Add in the fact Joey was going to be there too and it was a huge drama waiting to happen. It was abundantly clear to all the family there was no love lost between father and son and Lauren had to wonder why on earth Joey was going to be there today. Although she doubted he'd been given much opportunity to dodge the event. She certainly hadn't. And she had really tried. Even more than usual.

This would be the first time the two of them had been surrounded by their family since their arrangement had begun and it was going to be a challenge, of that Lauren was certain. At the beginning of the week when the knowledge she couldn't avoid being there had finally sunk in Lauren and Joey had spoken about things. Lauren was concerned that people would pick up some sort of vibe between them and it would make someone discover what they were doing, which neither of them wanted.

Joey wasn't convinced anyone would find out, certainly none of her friends had guessed and they'd seen them out and about a couple of times but Lauren knew her sister and mother were both quite perceptive when they wanted to be and the last thing she wanted to happen was for someone to find out she was sleeping with her cousin. Because she didn't want to lose this thing they had now... not when the sex was the best she'd ever had.

So Lauren had thought of a plan to get them through the day without giving themselves away. Although Joey thought it was silly and had told her so repeatedly. Each of them had to come up with five things they hated about the other person... and they weren't to hold back either; the more painful the better ideally. They would then tell them to each other over the course of the day, when no one else could hear. Lauren thought that if they could be spiteful enough to each other it would help create a bad atmosphere between them. That was the plan anyway. Lauren was currently still struggling with the things she was going to say to him. She couldn't exactly say something like... you're too well endowed... that would probably just make him roar with laughter. She only had one thing to say so far but she knew it would have an impact. She hoped she would get some inspiration throughout the day... maybe once he said something to her, it would motivate her.

*JL*JL*

Lauren walked down into the lounge and found her mum setting out a buffet for everyone. "Do you want some help, mum?"

"That would be great, sweetheart..." she replied.

Lauren began to get out serviettes and cutlery for everyone to use, glancing at her mum every now and again. Ever since the incidence at R&R's when she went home with Joey, mum had been keeping a closer eye on her. Lauren had been subjected to an interrogation when she'd returned home the morning after. Sharon had, of course, mentioned to her mum about what had happened in the club, apologising for it happening and her mum was beside herself with worry... or so she'd said. Lauren had ended up telling her she'd gone back to Joey's (it had slipped out before she could stop herself) and they'd spent all night talking. Her mum had been slightly pacified by her explanation but Lauren knew she was suspicious and it would only take one little thing for her to put one and one together and come up with two.

*JL*JL*

Lauren was in the kitchen, making some sandwiches, when the family started to arrive. She decided to hide out where she was for a while. She was still rapidly trying to think of things she didn't like about Joey... but the pool to choose from was very small.

She heard someone walk into the room but because her mind was elsewhere she didn't react to their presence until she felt two strong arms wind around her waist and his warm lips press against her cheek. She spun round to face him, "We're supposed to hate each other, Joe!" she hissed at him.

"Sorry, couldn't resist." He said with an impish smile.

"Well, try. Please." She murmured. "Mum's already watching me like a hawk..." She turned back to what she'd been doing, hoping to finish quickly so she could go into the lounge and speak to other people.

"Nice to see you where you should be, Lauren." He said, his voice slightly louder then when he'd previously spoke.

"What's that supposed to mean?" she asked, stopping what she was doing and looking at him.

"In the kitchen, babe. It's a woman's place, ain't it?" he smirked, seeing the fire ignite in her eyes.

"You're a sexist pig, Joey Branning!" She said loudly, waving the bread knife she was holding in the air between them.

His smirk grew as he saw her react, "There's your first one then, babe..." he whispered. He glanced to the hallway and saw no one was around. Taking hold of the wrist whose hand was still brandishing the knife, he held it to one side and stepped forward, kissing her softly. He stepped away, "Back to work then, Lauren... chop chop!" he said with a smirk as he wandered out of the kitchen and into the living room.

Lauren stood watching him walk away, her mouth slightly open and a frown appearing on her face as she realised he'd been teasing her all along. He was so frustrating. She tried not to notice that her eyes drifted down to stare at his more than sexy ass as he walked away from her. Another thing she couldn't tell him she hated. With a sigh she turned back to the sandwiches and finished cutting them, arranging them on the plates. She picked up the plates and carried them into the lounge, placing them on the table.

She threw a scowl at Joey as she walked past him and Uncle Jack laughed at her. "What did he do now?"

"Huh?"

"Joey... If looks could kill, he'd be about six feet under right about now!" he teased her.

"Would it sound too harsh if I said he breathed?" she said sarcastically. Jack roared with laughter and it caught several people's attention. "Come here, babe." He said, holding his arms out for a hug. Lauren stepped forward and let him hug her tightly. "Don't ever change, Lauren..." he whispered to her.

"I won't, Uncle Jack." She told him. "I'd better get back to the kitchen... apparently it's where I belong!" she said, glaring at Joey once more. She walked back out of the room, feeling the weight of Joey's eyes on her as she did so.

*JL*JL*

Wouldn't you know it...? She was sat next to Joey. This wasn't part of the plan... but Alice told him to sit next to her and it would've looked odd if he'd said no. How she wished he'd had though. She could feel his thigh pressed against hers and it was like a branding iron searing into her skin. She wanted him really badly right now. She was tempted to put everything down and just climb on his lap now and sod the consequences.

She picked up the large glass of wine she'd got herself before she sat down and took a large gulp from it. She needed alcohol to get her through the rest of the afternoon. She felt him look at her and wondered what he was going to say next. So far they had both traded barbs with each other and now Lauren was really beginning to hate this game because hearing him say those things to her really hurt. So far he'd pretty much told her she was lazy (he hated how she didn't seem to do anything with her life), she was weak (he hated how she let her friends take advantage of her), she was a miserable cow (he hated how she rarely smiled) and she was a goth (he hated how she wore black all the time).

He moved his head closer to her and murmured softly, "I hate you when you're drunk..."

She stared at him, trying not to make it obvious. The words he'd just said hurt more than any of his others. He clearly hadn't held back... which, okay, was what she'd wanted but it hurt to hear him say these things. She lowered her eyes, blinking away the tears that were welling and biting her lip to stop the sob that was desperate to escape. She counted to ten, trying to regain her composure then put her plate of food and glass to one side and turned to her cousin, staring him in the eyes, "I hate how you're just like your father..." she whispered, getting to her feet and storming from the room. She didn't miss the pained expression on his face when she looked at his face and the glint of anger that fell over his features for those few seconds after she'd spoke before she dashed from the room.

*JL*JL*

Lauren lay on her bed, staring out of the window. She was deep in thought and had been ever since she'd escaped to her room. She'd finally come to the conclusion that her idea had been ridiculous, just like he'd said over and over. All they'd done was cause each other a lot of pain and she was sure she'd probably raised a few suspicions by running out of the room like that.

She rolled onto her back and stared at the ceiling. She thought back through the things she'd said to him. Obviously her first one had been telling him he was a sexist pig. She'd also told him he thought he was god's gift to women (which if she was being honest with herself... he was – and she knew from personal experience). She hated the way he had no respect for women (although she would admit, if pushed, that he'd never behaved like that with her). She hated that he thought all of the family was the same as his dad and he'd wanted nothing to do with them (because there was a large part of Lauren that wished she'd got the chance to know Joey when they were both younger).

She groaned softly and rolled back onto her side, curling up and reliving the words he'd said to her. Every comment he'd made to her had brought about her own insecurities. Since the start of their arrangement she'd made a conscious effort to watch what she ate... although she had to admit she would kill for a bar of chocolate right about now. Actually a whole factory of chocolate sounded appealing with the way she was feeling. Of course the increased exercise regime she'd undertaken had helped. She'd lost about a stone since the first time she'd slept with Joey which she didn't think was a bad thing in just under a month. It had made her feel better about herself... and not so self-conscious about being with him... after all he was gorgeous and she was... plain old Lauren Branning.

Then again there must be something wrong with her because she didn't have a boyfriend. She didn't even have the offer of a boyfriend... all she had was a friends with benefits deal with her cousin. And, yes, okay he was gorgeous and he had other certain attributes that were certainly very enticing but Lauren knew nothing could ever come of them being together. It would tear the family apart. She wasn't even sure that was what she wanted anyway. She was relatively happy (no pun intended) with what she currently had.

Maybe Joey was right about what he'd said. Maybe she was miserable and she was lazy. She did wear a lot of black. She sighed. All of those paled into insignificance with his last words. He thought she was a drunk. And okay, she liked a drink... Who didn't? But she didn't have a problem with it and she wasn't sure why he disliked it so much when she did it. She frowned and bit her lip as her emotions climbed again. It was just seconds before she lost the battle and tears began to roll down her face.

*JL*JL*

Lauren was still lying on her bed several hours later. She'd heard the family gradually leave and she hoped she'd be left alone but knew it was unlikely. Her phone beeped and she sighed. She reached for it and saw it was from Joey.

_We need to talk._

Well that wasn't at all ominous. Was he going to end the arrangement? Lauren wasn't convinced he wasn't and she didn't know if she blamed him or not. She sat up and decided she was going to make an effort. She didn't want Joey to end this... so she was going to show him that she had listened to what he'd said.

*JL*JL*

The soft knock on his door was the first indication she was there. She hadn't replied to his text and he wondered if he'd gone too far. Not that she'd held back either, really. He walked over to the door quickly, not wanting to give her a chance to escape. He yanked the door open and there she stood.

She smiled at him brightly and strode into the room, pushing past him and when she was in the middle of the room she turned to face him, "You wanted to talk...?" she asked.

"Are you on your way out?" he asked her.

She glanced down at what she was wearing, "Don't you like it?" she whispered, a slight look of doubt appearing on her face.

"Was that what I said?"

"No..." she whispered.

"You just looked pretty dressed up... I thought you might be going out."

She bit her lip and stared at him intently, "You said you didn't like me wearing black all the time... so I thought I'd wear something different."

"It's definitely different..." he murmured.

"Don't you like it?" she repeated.

"I love it, babe..." he whispered.

"You do?"

"Uh huh..." he said, stepping forward and brushing his hand up her leg. He wasn't lying, her dress was amazing. Firstly it was bright red... not a hint of black in sight. It also clung to her stunning body, ending mid-thigh and showing her long beautiful legs off wonderfully. "Do you know how good you look?" he breathed. She looked at him in surprise, shaking her head. "So beautiful..." Her lips curved in a smile and he swooped down and pressed his mouth to hers, hard. He eased her leather jacket off her shoulders, dropping it to the floor. She just continued to surprise him when he found out the dress was sleeveless. He dragged his mouth from hers, gasping for breath as his eyes drifted down her body. "Lauren..." he whispered.

"I thought you wanted to talk?" she asked him.

"Later..." he told her. "I've got other plans for now..." His hands moved to her chest and cupped her breasts, hearing her moan softly. "Perfection..." he told her. He ran his hands further down her body and then to her legs, pushing the skirt up her thighs. "You've lost weight..." he murmured against her neck.

"You can tell?" She sounded happy with those three words.

"Don't lose anymore, Lauren. You don't need to..."

"Says you..." she murmured.

He pulled away from her, staring into her eyes, "I mean it, babe. There's barely an ounce of fat on you. You don't need to lose weight... You never did."

"You don't mean that..."

"I mean every word I say..." he told her.

"I know." Her hands ran up his body and she pushed him away.

"What's wrong?"

"You meant what you said..." she whispered.

He looked at her face and saw tears in her eyes. With a sinking realisation he knew what she was talking about, "I didn't mean those things at your house... well I did a little but I think you took them the wrong way." He stepped back towards her but she took the same number of steps backwards, maintaining the gap between them.

"You told me I was lazy, weak, miserable, a goth and a drunk..." she whispered.

"You told me I was my father..." he said back, not even mentioning the other things she'd said.

"I wanted to hurt you..." she breathed.

"It worked." He stated. "Let me explain the things I said to you... to a certain extent I did mean what I said but you've twisted my words." He took her hand in his and dragged her over to the bed, sitting down and pulling her onto his lap. His hand reached for her hair and he pushed it behind her ear. "I didn't call you lazy... I said I hated that you didn't seem to do anything with your life. You don't go to college... you don't have a job. I worry that your life will pass you by without you really living it. I want you to be happy and you don't seem it."

"Like I said... miserable." She whispered.

"Not miserable... sad. You have a beautiful smile, babe and people don't get to see it enough. Your face when I first opened that door a minute ago was stunning and I wish I could see it more. I worry about you when I see you looking so sad all the time."

Lauren lowered her head, staring at her hands as they twisted together, "There's never much to be happy about, is there?" she whispered.

"Then do something to change that..." he told her gently. "And I didn't say you were weak... I said I didn't like that you sometimes let your friends take advantage of you. You go out with your friends, you have done several times over the weeks we've been together and they don't even notice when you leave. I know you care about them but I'm not sure they're as concerned about you." Again his fingers ran through her hair and it sent a shiver down her back.

"They're good friends, Joe... they're just all loved up and sometimes they get sidetracked. They've been there for me when I really needed them." She said softly.

"Maybe you should remind them that you're there. When they get sidetracked," his tone on that last word told her what he thought about her phrase, "they forget all about you. You shouldn't let them forget, babe. It's unfair of them to do that. Did you even speak to Lucy about what happened at R&R's?"

Lauren shook her head. "She didn't mean anything by it..."

"Did she ask how you were the next day? Did any of them ask if you were okay?"

Lauren stared at him and with a sinking realisation she knew he was right, "No..." she whispered. She lowered her head and Joey pulled her closer to him, hugging her gently as he let her absorb everything. "What's wrong with me?" she murmured against his shirt.

He pushed her away from him and lifted her chin with a finger, "What do you mean?"

"There must be something wrong with me if none of them asked. Maybe they don't really like me..." she glanced to one side and Joey saw tears fall down her face.

"They like you, babe... they just don't always appreciate you." He told her gently. "I think you're amazing, Lauren. I care about you and I will always be there for you, I promise..." he added. His hand rubbed up and down her back, feeling her body shake against his. "There's nothing wrong with you," he told her softly.

"That's not what you said earlier..." she whispered into his shirt.

"Lauren, you told me I had to say things I hated about you..."

"I know... I made the rules..." she groaned.

"Do you know how difficult it was for me to find things to say to you? There's very little I hate about you... you're practically my best friend, the person in Walford I'm closest to. If I hated you that wouldn't be the case, would it? So I really struggled for things to say to you... so I picked the little things that concern me..."

She looked up at his face, tears brimming in her eyes, "Really?" she whispered.

"Really..." He slowly moved towards her, kissing her tenderly.

"I didn't mean the things I said to you either..." she admitted.

"Even the one about my dad?" he asked.

"I only said it because I knew it was the one thing I could say that would hurt you as much as what you'd said hurt me."

"Well, then I'm sorry for hurting you like that, Lauren."

"You're nothing like him, Joey..." she told him. He stared at her and she could see the pain in his eyes. Pain she had caused. "I'm sorry. Sorry I came up with the stupid idea in the first place." She said. Her fingers were playing with the buttons of his shirt. She glanced up at his face again, seeing the lust on his features and she made a quick decision. She shifted on his lap so she now straddled his legs, her skirt rising up her legs. She lowered her hands to his trousers and undid them quickly. She reached inside his boxers and ran her hand up and down his length, his arousal increasing as the seconds passed. He moaned as she brushed her thumb over the head several times. She moved closer to him and lowered herself onto him. She looked at his face, seeing the shock in his eyes, "I skipped the underwear..." she whispered, "It left a visible pantyline... and I hoped it would be unnecessary." She added.

He groaned as he pushed into her, "You're insatiable, babe..." he told her.

"Actually, I think it's just horny, Joe." She told him, then pressing her lips against his. She shifted on him and they both moaned. Joey's arms wound around her waist and he held her close as he got to his feet. He pressed her back against the wall beside the door and began to thrust against her more quickly. He heard two thuds and realised she'd kicked off her shoes so she could wrap her legs around his waist. "God, Joe..." she moaned.

"I've wanted to do this since I walked into the kitchen."

"Before you became a sexist pig, you mean?" She teased.

"As soon as I saw you..." he breathed before kissing her passionately. In his heart his words were true; possibly the truest words he'd ever said to her.

TBC

**A/N: Thoughts? Any suggestions for films you'd like to see yet? Now you've seen the kind of direction the story is going in... I'd be interested to see if you can pick any that I have.**

**COMING SOON... TO A FAN FIC SITE NEAR YOU... RUMOUR HAS IT...**


	9. Chapter 9: Rumour Has It

**So I read through this chapter this morning and didn't like it. So I've had a major overhaul of it today and it's now about eight times longer and much better. Sorry for the delay... Was just about to start posting it when my laptop crashed and I had to check the chapter hadn't lost any of the changes I'd made... Anyway, this might make you feel a little better after tonight's heartbreaking episode. At least we got a few Joey/Lauren moments today... although they weren't really what we wanted to see. Enjoy!**

**Chapter 9: Rumour Has It.**

Lauren was sitting on his bed when he walked into his room and he stared at her. "You're here..." he said. A fortnight has passed since the family gathering and she was spending most nights at Joey's. They had become really close since that day. It wasn't just the sex anymore. Their friendship had developed too and some nights they didn't even have sex. They usually made up for it in the morning, mind you, but it was nice to just sleep with her in his arms.

"I can go... if you want to be alone..." she said, not quite able to read what his expression meant. Joey walked around the room and sat on the end of the bed, bending down and removing his shoes. The bed shifted and her arms wound around his neck from behind when he sat back up. "You okay?" she asked him softly.

"Yeah, just tired... long shift."

"Did you want me to go?"

"Nope..." he said softly. His hand rose and clasped one of her hands, his thumb brushing across the back gently. "Sorry... I'm just knackered... I've done double shifts three times this week."

"Lay down..." she whispered to him. He did as she said and then Lauren was lying next to him, her head resting near his shoulder. Joey smiled as he felt her hand brush over his chest and her breath softly tickling his neck. They lay in silence for some time until Lauren spoke again. "You must ache after all those double shifts?"

"I guess..." he murmured, wondering where she was going with this conversation.

"I could give you a massage..." she whispered.

"You can do that?"

"Well my mum does own the salon... I worked there a bit when she was sick and Syed gave me a few pointers." She breathed.

"Well my shoulders and back are a bit tight..." he admitted.

Lauren giggled softly, "Then you, my friend, are going to get a Lauren special." She lifted her head and winked at him, "You better strip..." She pulled away from him and got up from the bed.

"Where are you going?" he asked when he saw her picking up her bag and jacket.

"I'll be back in a few minutes..." She bent down and kissed him softly, "I need a couple of things..." she whispered against his mouth. She stood and left the room quickly, slipping down the stairs and out of the back door of the B&B.

Joey was up from the bed as soon as he heard her move down the stairs. Okay, he may have exaggerated the pain in his shoulders and back slightly but she wasn't to know that. He also quite liked the thought of her giving him a massage. He turned off the main light and switched on a lamp instead. He almost tore his clothes from his body and threw himself back on his bed, lying on his front and resting his head on his hands. He wondered how long he would have to wait before she came back.

*JL*JL*

The door to his room opened about five minutes after she'd left and then she was climbing on the bed and sitting astride his ass. "Miss me?" she asked softly.

"Of course." He said, smiling gently against his hands. He listened as he heard her remove her jacket and put it on the bed. She stopped moving and he turned his head and opened an eye to see what she was doing. She had her mobile in her hands and appeared to be sending a text. "What're you doing?" he murmured.

"Getting Whit to cover for me..." she told him. She put the mobile on the bed and then pulled a small bottle out of her jeans pocket. She opened it and poured a few drops onto the palm of her hand. Just seconds later her hands were on the top of his back and Joey moaned as he felt her begin to massage his 'aching muscles'. She'd been working on his left shoulder for about five minutes when her mobile beeped, signalling a text message. "Can you tell me what that says?" she asked him softly.

He picked up her mobile and unlocked the screen. "It's from Whit." He told her.

"Open it, Joe." She said.

He did as she asked and read the message through, "She said yes but her and Lucy want to meet you tomorrow morning for a catch up. She says they haven't seen you in a while."

It was true, Lauren hadn't really seen her friends more than a couple of times since the incident at R&R's, Lauren choosing to spend her time with Joey instead. Therefore it had been a while since they'd had a chat and she'd like to see them again, "Okay... Can you send a reply and tell them I can meet them at 11 tomorrow morning?" she asked him as she switched to his other shoulder. He did that quickly and then threw her phone onto the bed, groaning as she pressed against a knot in his shoulder he hadn't even realised he had. She was actually really good at this.

"You could do this for a living, you know..." he moaned.

She chuckled softly, "Contrary to popular belief, I don't put these hands on just anybody you know?"

Her words stirred something in his gut but Joey pushed that feeling away, not trying to analyse what that meant. "Then I'll count myself as one of the privileged few, babe." He said, the last word turning into a moan as she pressed on his skin firmly.

"Privileged one..." she whispered, her hands pausing on his back.

Joey felt his breath falter slightly as her admission. There was that feeling again. He closed his eyes and buried it deep. "Good to know..." he murmured in response.

The room fell silent, only the odd groan from Joey as Lauren continued to work on his back. By the time she had got to his lower back it had been almost forty minutes since she'd started. "All done..." she said, running her hands up his back one last time.

"I don't think I can move..." he said softly.

"You should go and have a shower, Joe." She told him.

"Can I tempt you to join me?" he asked her, his head still resting on his hands.

"Well, I guess I do need to wash this oil off my hands..." she said and he could hear the smile in her voice. She moved off him and he heard the soft thud as she began to remove her clothes. He turned his head and found her mid-removal of her jeans. She looked at him, "Come on then, lover boy." She said, walking towards the bathroom in her underwear. Joey could've sworn she was deliberately swaying her hips for his benefit.

*JL*JL*

Once she was in the bathroom Joey sighed and pushed himself up from the bed. He was tired when he got back from work... now he felt so relaxed he wasn't convinced he had the energy to stand in the shower. Nevertheless he followed her into the bathroom, just in time to see her pushing her knickers down her legs. She turned to look at him and smiled softly, holding her hand out to him. He took her hand and felt her tug him towards her. She stood on her tiptoes and pressed her lips against his. "Well it seems one part of you isn't very relaxed, even though the rest of you is practically asleep." She teased him.

"Lauren..." he moaned as her hand brushed over the aforementioned body part.

She pushed his boxers down his legs and then took his hand in hers and pulled him into the shower cubicle. Joey groaned as the hot water washed over his head and body. Lauren pressed her body against his, wrapping her arms around his waist and letting him lean against her slightly. They stood that way for a little while before Lauren pulled away from him and picked up his shampoo. She washed his hair quickly, her fingers pressing against his scalp and showing him she was perfectly capable of giving a head massage as well. She pushed him back under the flow of water and ran her fingers through his hair, the soap easily being washed out. Once she was done with that she used his shower gel and began to wash his body. Every now and again she would kiss his skin tenderly and Joey found he liked seeing this side of her. This was a softer side that not many people ever got to see... he knew that.

*JL*JL*

"Come on, Joe." She said and Joey opened his eyes, slightly startled to find he was still standing in the middle of the shower, although the water was no longer running.

"Did I fall asleep?" he asked, his hand wiping across his face.

"Yeah, pretty much zoned out anyway..." she said, smiling at him tenderly. She held out a towel towards him and he took it from her and wrapped it around his waist. He could feel her watching him and it reminded him of that morning when she came over to see him and their arrangement started. He still remembered the words she'd said as he had escaped into this very room with some clothes.

"Sorry..." he said softly.

"What for?"

"Falling asleep... not... you know." He said, "I know you wanted us to do something..."

"It's fine, Joe." She whispered. "You're tired... I can see that." She said. She ushered him out of the shower and back into the bedroom. Within a couple of minutes they were both lying in his bed. They were facing each other and Lauren surprised Joey by reaching up and brushing her hand over his cheek, cupping it in the palm of her hand. "Get some sleep, Joe. I'll be here in the morning." She told him softly. He reached for her and pulled her against him, needing to feel her body against his, even if they didn't do anything.

"Night babe." He whispered as he felt her relax against him.

*JL*JL*

Lauren woke first the next morning and she checked the time quickly. It was a couple of hours before she needed to meet her friends. Joey was snoring softly... although he would absolutely deny he snored. Lauren had found he only did it when he was deeply asleep and it wasn't really that loud. She found it comforting actually... She was still in his arms, her head resting against his chest, the gentle thud of his heart beneath her ear. Another thing she found comforting.

She had expected something completely different last night when she'd come over to his room but she wasn't disappointed. She'd found she enjoyed spending time in his company and the sex was just an added bonus. Quite a few times she'd stayed here all night and she found that sometimes the sex they had the following morning was better than if they did it the night before. Usually it was because Joey was tired after a long shift at the club, like he had been last night.

Lauren had woken up pretty horny this morning and she was wondering if she should wake him and see if he was up for anything. Or maybe she should wake him and get him in the mood at the same time. Then again he had been pretty tired the night before and she wasn't sure if that was the best plan. He might not want to do anything... It would be pretty selfish to do that just so she could satisfy her itch.

"What is going round your head, Lauren...? I can almost hear the cogs turning from here."

She jumped when he spoke. She hadn't even realised he'd stopped snoring. "I was just..." Her words faded.

He opened an eye and looked at her. He still looked really tired and Lauren found herself feeling guilty, wondering if she'd done something to wake him. "What?" he asked her softly, his hand brushing up her back.

"I..." She pulled away from him and rolled onto her back. "Don't worry... it's nothing." She closed her eyes and tried to push down the need that was gradually increasing in her body.

"That's a shame..." he whispered. Lauren felt the bed shift and he was closer to her now. "I was hoping you might be able to help me with this..." he breathed into her ear, pressing his groin against her hip. Her breath hitched as she felt his erection digging into her waist.

She turned her head and looked at his face, "I think that can be arranged..." she breathed, smiling as he brushed his lips against hers. The kiss deepened and soon Joey had moved so he was lying on her. They hadn't yet done anything except kiss and Lauren was already buzzing. Who needed alcohol...? This was better than anything she got from drinking. And it was free. Was it possible to be addicted to kissing? Lauren was suspecting she might be... addicted to kissing Joey anyway. She gasped as his fingers stroked her gently and she moaned softly, feeling her body respond as he continued to touch her. He pressed his mouth to her neck, sucking on the skin softly. "Don't leave a mark, Joe... I've not got any make-up with me to cover it up..." she said, gasping as his thumb pressed on her clit. "Oh god..." she whimpered.

He lifted his head and looked at her face, "You okay?" She nodded, biting her lip as her arousal spiked. "Good..." he said. He slid into her moments later, barely any time between removing his fingers from her and his cock pressing into her body.

"Joe..." she breathed, already close to coming. It would be embarrassing but it had been a few days since they'd been together. His double shifts were a killer for both of them.

Lauren got the impression that Joey was as desperate as she was because he certainly wasn't hanging around. He was moving in her at a steady, fast pace and she knew this was going to be very quick. It seemed they were both a little desperate for this.

*JL*JL*

"That was amazing..." Joey said several minutes later as they lay side by side in the bed.

"It was good..." she said breathing heavily.

"GOOD!?" He rolled towards her, "I'll give you good..." he said, his hands brushing down her side and starting to tickle her waist, kissing her neck at the same time. She began to giggle, wriggling and trying to get away from him and his talented fingers... and lips.

"Stop, Joe." She gasped but he shook his head, a definite smirk on his face.

"What will you do to convince me to stop?" His hands paused slightly as he gave her a few seconds to respond.

"What do you want me to do?" she asked.

"I can think of one thing..." he murmured, his mouth finding hers in a passionate kiss.

She pulled her mouth from his and looked at him, "What?" He stared at her then lowered his eyes, glancing down the bed before looking at her again. "Really?" she asked, "That will get you to forget I'm ticklish?"

"For now..." he agreed.

"If I must..." she said, rolling her eyes but not quite managing to hide the smile from her face. As if this was really something she didn't want to do. Joey rolled onto his back, moving his hands behind his head. Lauren stared at him then moved beneath the duvet. She kissed his abs as she made her way down to his cock and she pulled the tip into her mouth, bathing it with her tongue before taking in more. She was soon working his length in and out of her mouth, feeling his hips shifting slightly beneath her. She slipped him out of her mouth and moved so she was knelt between his legs. He groaned as she took him back into her mouth and again when her hand cupped his balls. She took him deeper, moaning around his length and she felt him start to throb, coming in her mouth for Lauren to swallow eagerly. She kissed up his stomach as she made her way back up his body, until she emerged from under the duvet and looked up at his face, "Did that meet sir's requirements?" she asked with a smirk, tilting her head as she stared into his eyes.

He smiled at her, kissing her softly. "Don't you have somewhere to be?" he asked, deliberately not answering her question.

Lauren glanced at the time, "SHIT!" she said, moving quickly from the bed and dashing for the bathroom.

Joey rolled over and closed his eyes, a broad grin on his face as he heard her frantically moving around the room. That was definitely a great way to wake up in the morning. So much better than waking up alone. She gave him a quick but passionate kiss before leaving the room.

*JL*JL*

Lauren was feeling pretty good as she made her way out of the B&B. Getting out without anyone seeing had become easier once she'd got to know the habits of Denise, Kim and Patrick. They were all creatures of habit so once she'd established their patterns, sneaking out became much easier. Morning sex with Joey always left Lauren with a smile on her face and today was no different, which she was sure would give her away if anyone saw it... especially her friends. She spent the remainder of the walk to the cafe trying to compose herself so by the time she walked inside the smile was hidden. She saw Lucy and Whitney sitting at the table in the window. They were already waiting for her and she could tell from their faces that they wanted something. She sat down, finding a hot chocolate already waiting for her. "Hey." She said. "What's going on?"

"You tell us, Lauren?" Whitney said.

"What do you mean?"

"You're seeing someone... aren't you?" Lucy accused her.

Her question startled her. She thought they'd hidden it better. Did they know who she was seeing? "What?"

"You're never around anymore..." Whitney said, "And you keep asking for me to cover for you with your parents."

"Where are you going?" Lucy said.

Lauren smirked although inside she was struggling to find a plausible answer for their questions, "Took you both long enough to realise..." she said, taking a sip from her mug. She realised it had been almost seven weeks since the arrangement had started and this was the first time they were asking her... maybe Joey wasn't as inaccurate with his concern about her friends as she'd thought just two weeks earlier.

"Why didn't you tell us?" Lucy asked.

"None of you ever seemed that interested." She said with a shrug.

"So who is he?"

Lauren smirked, "You're assuming it's a he?" she said, quirking her eyebrow. They both looked at her in shock and she giggled profusely. "Don't worry, guys... it's a safe assumption." She finally told them.

"And?" Whitney said.

"What do you want me to say?"

"We want details, Lauren." Lucy said eagerly.

Lauren looked down at her lap, "I'm not really ready to share yet..."

"Is he ugly or something?" Lucy asked smugly.

"Luce..." Lauren started before getting interrupted by her blonde friend.

"Well there must be some reason why you're not telling us?" she accused.

"There's no reason... it's just still quite new and I like that it's just me and him."

"Don't you want us to meet him?" Whitney asked, looking hurt.

Lauren didn't answer. It was difficult to lie to them. After all they had already met him... they just didn't know it and anyway, it wasn't a relationship in the conventional terms. She knew they wouldn't understand if she tried to explain it to them and part of the arrangement was that they kept it a secret. "I need to go..." she said, drinking the rest of her drink quickly, needing to get away from them before she got asked something else she couldn't answer.

"So that's it?" Lucy spluttered.

"Sorry..." she whispered, getting to her feet.

"I'm not covering for you any more, Lauren. I'm not comfortable lying to them..." Whit whispered.

Lauren stared at them both, surprised by the way they were being with her, "Thanks guys. It's been great to catch up with you." She said, her voice breaking slightly as she spoke to them. "We really must do this again some time." She added bitterly, turning and started to walk away from them. She paused and turned back, "I will say one thing though... I kind of expected more from you both." She told them. "Neither of you have been there for me in the last few months..." They both stared at her in surprise as she told them a few home truths, also surprised to see how upset she looked. "Neither of you even asked if I was okay after those guys pretty much tried to rape me at R&R's. When I think of the times I've been there for you both since we've been friends... well, I'm disappointed that you won't support me and be there for me now when I ask. But don't worry I won't bother you about it in the future. All I wanted was a bit of time to get my head around everything and to make sure I was ready to start bringing him into my crazy world..." She turned away from them again but turned back and put some money on the table for her drink, "I guess it really was the right decision to make because now I know... it's not the right time at all." She'd said more than she'd intended to, her mouth running away with her in typical Lauren fashion. She left the cafe quickly after that, ignoring the calls of her name from her friends. Her chest felt tight and she knew she would shortly be in tears.

She started wandering in what she thought was an aimless direction but in truth, there was only one place she wanted to go now. So when she turned up on the door of the B&B... it shouldn't have been a huge surprise to her.

TBC

**A/N: So what did you think? Let me know. Back tomorrow with the next chapter...**

**COMING SOON... TO A FAN FIC SITE NEAR YOU... REALITY BITES.**


	10. Chapter 10: Reality Bites

**How heartbreaking was that episode? I was (relatively) fine, right up until the Max/Lauren scene in her room. That totally left me a sobbing wreck. I hope this chapter goes some way to making you feel a little better. Enjoy!**

**Chapter 10: Reality Bites.**

Lauren sneaked back into the B&B and up the stairs. She used her key to open his door and then she was in his room and she could see he was still asleep in his bed. Had it really been less than an hour since she'd left him? It felt like longer. She walked over to the bed, pulling off her clothes as she did so until she was naked. She lifted the covers and slipped underneath, taking a minute or two to stare at her cousin as he lay sleeping in front of her.

She moved forward and smiled when she felt his arms open and wrap around her. He pressed his lips against her forehead tenderly, even as he slept. The gentleness of what he'd just done was the breaking of her and she began to cry, pressing her face against his chest as the tears that had been threatening since she left the cafe started to fall.

"What's wrong?" he whispered hoarsely about a minute later, having been woken by her body shaking in his arms.

She couldn't answer him straight away and his hand brushed up and down her back to soothe her. "I think I just lost my two best friends..." she sobbed.

"I think I'm a bit insulted..." he told her softly and she slapped his arm.

"Don't be silly... you know what I meant."

"So what happened?"

"They were asking me about you... or rather my mystery boyfriend. They wanted to know why I was hiding him from them." She lifted her head off his chest and looked at him, "I couldn't exactly tell them the truth though, could I? I told them I wasn't ready for them to meet 'him' so they've said they won't lie to my parents for me... for us." She dissolved a little again against him and his arms tightened around her.

"Hey, babe. It's okay..." he told her softly.

"That's just it though, isn't it... it's not okay. This is never going to be okay, is it?" She lowered her face and took a deep breath. "I hate all the lies..." she whispered.

"Maybe we should stop this then...?"

"NO!" she gasped. "I don't want this to stop. I like our arrangement, Joe."

He rolled them over so he lay on top of her, "I like it too but we agreed we wouldn't let it affect our family... and that should go the same for our friends. I don't want to come between you and your friends and I don't want this to affect our friendship either."

"You can't say that to me when we're lying like this, Joe."

"What do you mean?" he asked, a slight smirk on his face.

"Joe, you're naked... I'm naked... I don't want to talk about us ending this when all I can think about now is the thought of you fucking me." She whispered.

"You're thinking of me fucking you?" he said, his smirk growing. He shifted above her and she felt his erection pressing against her thigh. "You mean like this?" he said, pushing into her quickly. Lauren arched her back, her eyes closing as she was once again reminded of just how blessed her cousin had been.

"Joe..." she whispered. Her hand lifted and she stroked the side of his face, feeling the slight growth on his face that she liked more than she thought she would. Prior to this arrangement she'd only ever seen him smooth faced but staying with him overnight she found the facial hair he sported in the morning suited him and gave him a darker, more edgy look that she liked more every time she saw it. He smiled at her and bent down, kissing her, his tongue mirroring the actions of another part of his anatomy.

It was hard and fast and both were soon gasping for air as they both strived for that moment of perfection together. "Babe..." Joey groaned, burying his face into Lauren's neck as he reached that crescendo seconds before Lauren did. He collapsed on top of her for a few seconds before rolling off her, so they were lying side by side, staring up at the ceiling. "So we're going to carry this on then?" he asked softly, glancing at her briefly.

She smiled softly, her heart beginning to race as she heard the slight vulnerability in his voice when he spoke. "I bloody hope so after that..." she whispered. Her heart sped up further when she felt him slip his hand into hers, lacing their fingers together and squeezing her hand gently. She could get used to this.

TBC

**A/N: Thoughts?**

**COMING SOON... TO A FAN FIC SITE NEAR YOU... THE HOLIDAY... I wonder what that might be about?** :-)


	11. Chapter 11: The Holiday

**As a birthday present to myself, here is my favourite chapter of the story so far. It's also the longest one so far... and has lots of sex.**

**Chapter 11: The Holiday.**

Lauren packed her bag, excitement building within her as she put the last few things inside and zipped it shut. It had been two weeks since the disagreement with Whitney and Lucy. After some intervention from the two girl's boyfriends, as well as Alice and Poppy, both had spoken to Lauren individually and had made up with her. Neither of them had asked again about the person she was seeing and she had chosen not to rely on them for cover stories as much. She'd had to do some quick thinking a couple of times but so far her parents were none the wiser.

So now she was packing as the whole gang were going away for a long weekend in Spain; a weekend of clubbing, drinking and sexing. Not necessarily in that order. And the best bit about it? Joey was coming with them. Despite the fact he wasn't actually really part of the gang as such. As he was Alice's brother he'd managed to wangle an invite because he wasn't happy about Alice going without him. Well that was the official excuse... the real reason was he and Lauren wanted to get away from the square for a while. It would take some work to ensure their friends didn't pick up on anything between them but Lauren was really excited at the prospect of having some time with him.

She picked up her surprisingly small bag and carried it downstairs, leaving it in the hallway. Her dad was driving her, Joey, Alice and Anthony to the airport in a while. She checked her handbag for her passport, currency, sunglasses and a couple of magazines. In the depths of her handbag was also two bikinis. They were so small it seemed silly to waste space in her other bag with them, although she had more in her case anyway, so she'd put them in her handbag as she was pretty sure she was going to want to go in the pool once they got there. She was looking forward to seeing Joey's face when she wore them. She hoped they'd manage to get some time together on their own.

*JL*JL*

Lauren climbed out of the car and saw her dad and Joey already standing at the boot and pulling out the cases. Joey's thumb brushed her hand as he passed her bag to her and she felt her cheeks heat. She turned away from him, giving her dad a quick hug before walking over to where the others were gathered. Joey walked over to the group and Lauren turned to wave her dad off. She turned back to her friends and felt Joey standing closer to her, his hand gently touching her back without anyone seeing.

They all walked into the airport and dropped their bags off for their flight. Lauren and Joey were walking behind the others as they all headed to security and the departure lounge. "I'm glad you're here, Joe." She said softly.

"Me too." He replied.

"No, I mean it... if you hadn't come along, I'd have been playing a huge gooseberry all weekend..."

"Well, we can't be having that now, can we?" he said, nudging her shoulder with his arm. "So what's this place like we're staying at?"

"It's a villa... it worked out cheaper to book that than to go to a hotel."

"How many rooms?"

"No idea..." she whispered. "I'll ask Whitney in a minute."

*JL*JL*

Lauren was sitting with Alice and Joey on the plane, in between the brother and sister which would be fine if Joey didn't keep brushing his leg against hers. One time he even brushed his hand over her thigh, with the pretence of wiping something off her skirt. She was practically ready to jump him in his seat. The really annoying thing was he knew exactly what he was doing to her. She could see him smirking at her knowingly as she shifted in her seat again.

"I'm going to go and speak to Anthony," Alice said to her cousin, standing from her seat and walking further forward on the plane. Due to the number of them they'd been unable to get all of their seats together, Lauren was now very thankful for that fact.

"Stop doing that, Joey." Lauren said to him furiously as soon as Alice was out of earshot.

"What?" he asked innocently... apart from the gleam in his eyes, that is.

"You know what."

"You mean this?" he whispered, his hand brushing up her thigh as they stared into each others heated eyes. Lauren moaned softly and closed her eyes, her head falling forward as his hand climbed higher. Joey stopped, removing his hand once more and she opened her eyes, looking at him in disgust. Joey leant forward and picked up the blanket from under the seat he was sitting on. He moved quickly and methodically, lifting the arm between their seats and spreading the blanket over them both. He put his arm around her shoulders and pulled her against his body, "Relax, babe. Just enjoy it..."

"What if Alice comes back?"

"She won't come back till just before plane lands, you know that."

"And if someone else sees?"

"They don't know us... they will just see a young couple relaxing on their journey." He whispered. He pressed her head against his chest and kissed her forehead softly. Lauren relaxed against him, having missed the comfort of being in his arms for the last couple of days. His hand was soon back on her thigh and it slipped beneath her skirt and up her leg, stroking the soft skin tenderly. Her breath quickened as he brushed his fingers over her knickers.

"Joe..." she whispered.

"Shhh... you need to be quiet, Lauren." He reminded her.

"Joe, we're in the middle of a crowded plane." She said, opening her eyes and looking at his face.

"Then you need to be really quiet..." he told her. She lowered her head back to his chest and tried to relax, feeling his fingers push beneath the material of her underwear. "So wet, Lauren." He murmured into her hair.

"I've missed you." She told him breathily. It was true. The last few nights they hadn't seen each other and after spending so much time together before that, it had only made their separation more difficult. He pushed two fingers into her and she had to stifle a moan. "Joe..." she whimpered, burying her face into his neck and kissing him gently as his fingers brushed in and out of her body. He pressed his thumb to her clit and he felt her break apart around his fingers. She was gasping for breath against his neck and her hot breath hitting his skin was having an effect on him.

"Lauren..." he whispered.

She lifted her head and looked at him. She could clearly see the desire on his face and she winked at him, her hand running down the front of his shirt and slipping under the blanket. Her hand was inside his jogging bottoms in an instant, pushing into his boxers and gripping his firm length. She stared into his eyes as her hand slowly moved on him. His fingers were still in her and he started to move them again at the same pace as her hand was moving. The arm around his shoulder moved and he pulled her head towards his, kissing her deeply as the intensity built between them. At that moment neither of them cared if anyone saw what they were doing but they were lucky and none of their friends saw them. After a few minutes they pulled apart, in every sense of the word, and settled back into their seats. Both of them hoped they would get some time alone together or it was going to be a very long weekend. A very very long weekend.

*JL*JL*

The taxis pulled up outside the villa they'd rented and the group of friends all got out and grabbed their bags. The various couples walked up to the villa and Lauren and Joey stayed behind and paid for the cabs.

"You know this means we're going to have last pick of the rooms..." Lauren moaned as they walked slowly after their friends.

"Yeah, why exactly did we get lumbered with paying for the taxis?" Joey asked and Lauren shrugged in response. They walked into the house and stared around the bright room. Almost everything was white with odd hints of red around the room. It looked light and fresh and airy. "Let's go and see what we've been left with Lauren." Joey said, his hand settling on her back again as he ushered her up the stairs towards the bedrooms.

It turned out the only rooms left were side by side and at the front of the villa. Joey let Lauren choose which room she wanted and took the other. Both went to unpack their things.

Lauren knocked on the door to Joey's room and her cousin looked up, his mouth dropping open as she saw what she was wearing. "Fancy a dip in the pool?" she asked, smiling as she saw his eyes rake up and down her body.

He cleared his throat, "Yeah... I'll just get changed."

She giggled as he turned and pulled off his T-shirt, "Maybe I should wait downstairs..." she said softly and he looked at her over his shoulder.

"Ain't like you haven't seen it before, is it?" he said with a laugh.

"Yeah but the others..." she murmured, looking uncomfortable.

"I'm sure they're all caught up with each other in their rooms..." he said then shuddered and Lauren knew he was thinking about what his sister was currently doing. "Why don't you come in and close the door... No one will see us then." He said. She did as he said and shut the door softly. She watched as he pushed down his jogging pants so he was wearing just his boxers. "Can you get me my trunks out of that cupboard?" he said, nodding his head towards where she was standing. She turned and opened the drawer, seeing several pairs of trunks strewn inside. She smiled as she saw there were some dark green trunks and she pulled them out and spun round.

"We'll match..." she said, waving them towards him. She opened her mouth to speak again but her words faltered as he removed the rest of his clothes. "Joe..." she whispered.

He almost swaggered over to her and took the trunks from her hand. "Like something you see?" he said with a smirk.

"You're the one who looks a bit keen, Joe..." she teased, glancing down and smirking.

"Well you walked in here wearing that!" he laughed, stepping forward and pressing her against the cupboard she'd just opened.

"What's wrong with this?" she whispered, looking unsure of herself.

"Absolutely nothing, babe." He said, brushing her hair back from her face and tucking it behind her ear. "You look stunning..." he admitted, "and I'm looking forward to taking it off you later today." He whispered in her ear. She moaned softly and wrapped an arm around his neck, pulling him closer.

"And you're standing there with nothing on at all, Joe... do you know what you're doing to me at the moment?" she said softly.

"I know what I'd like to be doing..." he breathed in her ear.

"Joe, we can't... the others will hear."

Joey rolled his eyes, "This weekend is going to be a washout, ain't it?" he said, resting his forehead on her shoulder.

"We're just going to have to make sure we get some time alone together..."

"Without any of them noticing our absence?" He said, turning his head so he could see her face.

She kissed his lips softly. "You've seen what they're like. Once they're out with their partners, they don't even notice me. We'll get time alone, don't worry..."

"Promise..." he whispered.

"I promise," she said, "Now put some clothes on and we can go to the pool."

He stepped away from her and pulled on the trunks she'd selected. "You know this would be better if you'd help me out with... you know?" he said.

"The cold water in the pool will help with your little problem, babe." She teased him.

He finished pulling up his trunks and stepped back towards her, pressing his 'little problem' against her. "I think you can admit there is nothing little about my problem, babe..." he whispered, seeing her cheeks flush red at his words and actions. "Come on then..." he said, stepping back and going to leave the room, "The pool awaits..." he said over his shoulder.

"Joe!" she called after him. He smiled and carried on walking to the stairs. "Joseph Branning!" she said again, her voice much closer this time. She flung herself onto his back, wrapping her arms and legs round his neck and waist. He gripped her legs and walked a little quicker, going down the stairs and out of the patio doors, hearing her laugh in his ear. As he walked towards the pool he began to run and she let out a shriek. He leapt off the side and launched them both into the pool.

Lauren emerged from the water, spluttering and gasping. She scowled at Joey as he stood a few feet away from her. "I can't believe you just did that..." she said.

"Serves you right for teasing me..." he said with a smirk.

"I'll get you back for this, Joseph... you wait and see..."

"Whatever you say..." he said. She splashed water at him with expert precision and he coughed after it hit him slap bang in the face. He glared at her and then threw himself towards her, pushing her beneath the surface as they began to play fight in the water.

*JL*JL*

"You two having fun?" It was Tyler but they were all on the side of the pool, staring at the cousins as they play fought each other in the pool.

Lauren and Joey stopped what they were doing and turned to stare at their friends. "We were just passing the time..." Lauren stuttered. "Waiting for you lot to come down."

"Yeah... we were just cooling down." Joey said, his finger tracing down Lauren's back as she stood in the water in front of him.

"We were going to head into town and get a drink..." Whitney said.

"Why don't you go ahead and we'll catch up with you?" Lauren said.

Lucy gasped, "Lauren Branning not rushing to get a drink? Miracles do happen..." she said sarcastically.

"Lucy!" Alice and Poppy said.

Joey saw Lauren's shoulders tense and he placed his hand on her back, offering her some comfort from her friend's verbal attack. "We'll see you there in a while." He told them. "We'll call you when we get into town and find out where you are. We won't be long."

"We can wait for you..." Alice said.

"Don't be silly..." Lauren told them. "We're going to have to shower and get ready... you can go and find somewhere decent for us to drink and we'll meet you there." A couple of minutes later it was just the two of them. "Do you think they suspect anything?" Lauren whispered.

"There's nothing to suspect, right?" he said.

"Yeah." Lauren turned her head to look at him, "I told you we'd get some time alone..." She said, smiling at him softly as she turned to face him. "You still got that little problem?" she asked.

He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her against him. "I told you before... it's not a little problem..." he murmured before his mouth crashed against hers. He spun them around and pressed her against the side of the pool, grinding his body against hers.

"Mmm... I see what you mean..." she moaned, breathing deeply after the kiss ended. He started to rip the bottom of her bikini away, "Don't tear it..." she whispered. "Unless you don't want me to wear it again..."

He paused briefly and then carefully removed it from her, tossing it onto the side of the pool. He pushed his trunks down his legs before lifting her from the floor and easing himself into her. They both moaned and kissed again, the passion building between them both like it always did. This was going to have to be quick if they were going to meet the others.

Fortunately they were both pretty keyed up before they'd started so it was never going to last very long. Lauren clawed at Joey's back, urging him on as she felt her body teetering on the edge. "Nearly there, babe..." he whispered. "Just a few seconds more..." he said, thrusting against her four or five more times before he began to pulse inside her. She screamed his name as she joined him in that moment of ecstasy. Really, there had never been any better than what she had with Joey.

*JL*JL*

Lauren walked down from her room an hour after their interlude in the pool. She was wearing a figure hugging dark blue dress and had spent some time curling and styling her hair and doing her make-up. Joey looked up from the couch as she walked down the stairs and she could see from his face that he liked what she was wearing.

"Are all your outfits going to make you look as good as you do now?" he asked, getting to his feet and moving towards her.

"Maybe?" she said, tilting her head to one side and watching his face.

"This is going to be a really long weekend..." he told her gently.

"I'll make it up to you..." she whispered.

He stared at her before breaking the silence again, "We should go... the others will be wondering where we are."

"Come on then..." she said, taking his hand in hers and pulling him from the villa.

*JL*JL*

Lauren and Joey walked into where the others were about thirty minutes later. They'd reluctantly stopped holding hands just outside the pub and then made their way into the bar. Joey brought them both a drink and they walked over to where the others were stood.

"You took your time..." Lucy said, getting a dig in the ribs from Whitney who stood next to her.

"This one took ages getting dressed up, didn't she?" Joey said, smirking at his cousin and rolling his eyes... both of which got a scowl in response. "Wanted to look nice for the locals or something..."

"Ooh, you on the pull, baby girl?" Fats chuckled.

"Maybe..." Lauren said with a chuckle, trying not to blush when she felt Joey's fingers at the base of her spine, brushing across her skin gently.

"Well you're looking smokin' hot." Fatboy told her.

"He's right, Lauren... you look amazing." Whitney agreed.

"Thanks guys." Lauren said, looking at the floor self-consciously. "So what's planned for tonight then?"

"We thought we'd stay here for a few drinks and then head off to a club round the corner." Lucy said.

"Cool..."

"Do you want another drink, guys?" Joey asked. They all nodded.

"I'll give you a hand." Lauren said and she followed him to the crowded bar.

They stood side by side at the bar, waiting for a barman to become free. "They're right you know," Joey told her softly.

"Huh?"

"You do look amazing."

"Thanks babe..." she whispered, leaning against him slightly.

"What do you want to drink?" he asked.

"Just a lemonade, please," she said with a smile. "But can we let them think it's got alcohol in it?" she added.

"Of course." He said with a smile, "You're not drinking?"

Lauren blushed and looked down briefly, "I thought I'd try and stay relatively sober tonight..." she whispered, staring into his eyes with an intense look.

"Have you got something planned?" he asked.

"I was hoping so..." She said shyly.

The barman interrupted their conversation and Joey ordered the drinks, including the soft drink for Lauren. They walked back to the table and handed out the round, taking a seat next to each other in the booth the group had managed to find while they were at the bar.

*JL*JL*

A couple of hours later they were walking towards the club. Once again Joey and Lauren were lagging behind the others, who had definitely started to become even more coupley than they had been earlier and the cousins were starting to feel very much like spare parts.

"We could always go back to the villa..." Joey suggested as they walked down the road.

"They'll get suspicious..." Lauren murmured.

"But we'd have some time alone," he said softly, the fingers of his hand brushing against hers.

"We'll get time alone at the club, don't worry." She told him. He looked at her with a questioning look, "You're forgetting I've been out with them all before. They'll get caught up in their own thing and we'll be a dim and distant memory. We can head back to the villa in a couple of hours time if you still want to. I'd like to go dancing first though..."

Joey's head spun at the thought of watching her dance. He wondered if she realised how sexy she was. "Will you save me a dance?" he asked her.

"I'll even let you have more than one, babe..." she replied, "We just have to make sure the others don't see us together..." She saw the uncertainty on his face, "It'll be fine. Don't you trust me?"

"You know I do..."

*JL*JL*

They arrived at the club and paid to get in. The club was heaving and it wasn't long before they'd lost the others which helped both Joey and Lauren relax a little. When the friends had arrived and saw how busy it was they'd agreed they would all make their way back to the villa individually. Joey and Lauren had said they would probably leave first and still had the keys from when they came after them anyway. They would hide the spare keys in an agreed spot for the rest of them to use when they got back. The only proviso was when anyone left, they let someone know they were going.

Once Joey and Lauren were alone they sat on one of the seats at the edge of the room. Lauren was sitting with her legs draped across Joey's lap and they were talking to each other. Due to the volume of the music they were sitting close to each other, Joey had his arm around Lauren's shoulders and her head was mere inches from his. A few of the gang came over every now and again but none of them really paid the cousins very much attention. It was only Alice who spoke to them once they got to the club. Lauren had never been more grateful for Joey's presence than she was right now. She knew if he hadn't been here she would've been left on her own and that would've just resulted in a messy Lauren and a raging hangover in the morning. And she'd probably have ended up copping off with some random guy.

"Do you want to dance?" Joey asked her, his hand brushing some hair back from her face tenderly. She smiled at him and nodded, getting to her feet. She held her hand out to him and he took it, letting her lead him onto the dance floor. They moved effortlessly in time with each other, the music pumping into the room. Lauren's back was to Joey's chest, their bodies pressed tight against each other. Lauren could feel every contour of his body against her back; his hard length was trapped between their bodies, the feel of it affecting Lauren more than she'd thought it would as she lost herself in the music and Joey.

*JL*JL*

After almost an hour on the dance floor she turned to face him, "Let's go home..." she whispered in his ear. He nodded his head and kissed the skin in front of her ear. He took her hand in his and dragged her across the dance floor and out of the club after they paused briefly to tell Alice they were leaving. It only took them about quarter of an hour to walk back to the villa and once the spare key was placed in the agreed spot and the door to the villa locked behind them, Joey and Lauren stood facing each other, staring into each others eyes intensely. "Are you going to take me to bed, Joe?" she whispered.

"If you insist..." he said with a smirk. Her mouth dropped open in shock. She was about to say something else when he bent down and lifted her in his arms, causing her to shriek slightly and then giggle as he began to stride across the room and up the stairs. She wound her arms around his neck, her fingers running through his hair at the base of his neck. "My room or yours?" he asked as he reached the top of the stairs.

"Yours..." she whispered.

Slightly clumsily, due to the sloppy kisses Lauren was placing on his jaw, Joey opened the door to his room and Lauren turned on the light. He strode over to the bed and dropped her onto it, bending down and kissing her mouth ardently. He opened the drawer of his bedside table and pulled something from inside it. His mouth was back on hers within seconds of moving from her and she tried to deepen the kiss but he wouldn't let her. "Don't move..." he breathed against her lips then turned and walked out of the room.

Lauren flopped back on the bed and tried to regain control of her racing heart. The things he did to her... To be honest, he drove her wild. She wondered where he'd gone but didn't have to think about it too long because he walked back into the room. "Where did you go?" she asked in concern.

"Turn on the lamp." He said softly and Lauren did as he asked. Joey turned off the main light and then walked over to the bed. "I thought you'd want to be in your room." He said as he knelt beside the bed near her head.

"I like your room..." she whispered.

"You could've had this room... I gave you the choice."

"The girls are more likely to walk into my room without knocking. Anyway I like this room... mainly because you're in it, Joe." She said, glad the room was only dimly lit as she felt her face flush.

"You're adorable when you do that..." he whispered. Okay, so apparently not dark enough. Lauren lifted her hands and covered her face in embarrassment, feeling the heat increase even further. "Hey... there's nothing to be embarrassed about, babe."

"Why aren't you up here, lying with me, Joe?" she asked him softly.

"I'm going back downstairs in a minute..." he explained.

She stared at him. Had she misread the signals? "Don't you want to do this?" she whispered, biting her lip as she tried to keep a lid on the emotions that were rapidly climbing within her.

"Of course I do..." He got to his feet and kissed her again, "I'll be back in a minute." He was out of the room in seconds.

"Where are you going, Joe?" she called after him but he ignored her, leaving her to fester in his room.

*JL*JL*

Joey opened the bedroom door again and he found Lauren staring at him. He shut the door and walked over to the bed, placing a pot on the side. Lauren stared at it... her eyes widening as she did so. "Is that...?"

"Yes." He interrupted. "I saw it in a shop the other day and..."

"Joseph Branning... you never cease to surprise me!" she giggled, turning her attention to him once more.

Joey crawled over her and lay on the bed next to her, "So you want to?" he asked softly, his finger tracing down her arm. She nodded, a large grin on her face. "Good..." He looked down at the mattress for a second, "I thought you might think it was stupid."

"I think I don't know what I did to deserve you as my friend, Joey." She told him, leaning forward and kissing him. He rolled onto his back, pulling her with him so she ended up sitting on his groin. His hands pushed her dress up her legs and body and soon he was peeling it over her head. She was just in her underwear now and she sat up, shifting slightly on him and causing him to moan softly. His eyes raked over her body, taking in the dark red bra and knickers she was wearing. "Do you like?" she whispered.

"You tell me..." he replied, knowing she would be able to feel how his body had reacted to the sight of her in her underwear.

"I guess that's a yes..." she whispered. She began to undo his shirt and then urged him to sit up so she could ease it off his body. Throughout this whole process she kept kissing him softly, her hands caressing his body tenderly. Eventually she pushed him so he was lying back on the bed. She moved off him and continued to undress him, still touching his body with a featherlike touch. She reached over to the cupboard and picked up the small pot, moving to sit astride him again.

"There's a brush in the drawer..."

She leant back over and quickly picked it up. Smiling at him she dipped the brush into the pot and then drizzled it over his chest. She put the pot back down and tied her hair back with a band. She leant forward, her eyes fixed on his until the last possible second when she let her tongue lap up the chocolate that was now pooling across his chest. She hummed in appreciation as she swallowed the slightly warm sweet substance. She took her time licking his chest clean, hearing and feeling the slight falter of his breath as she climbed higher up his body. "Yummy..." she whispered in his ear.

"My turn..." he moaned, his hands brushing over her back and caressing her. He undid the bra she was wearing, tossing it to one side. He pushed himself to a sitting position and his hands both cupped a breast, his thumbs brushing each peak. "Do you know how beautiful you are, Lauren?" he murmured as he stared at her chest. He smiled as he saw the blush creep over her body and then looked up at her face, "Why does that embarrass you?" he asked softly.

"No one has ever said that to me before..." she whispered, "It makes me feel weird." Her arms were resting on his shoulders and her fingers ran through his hair as he lowered his mouth and kissed each breast gently.

"Well, if no one's said it then it's their loss, babe." He looked up at her face with an unreadable expression, "I don't understand why you've not been snapped up by someone... although it's to my gain." He smiled at her and Lauren knew it was a look he rarely shared with others. He lifted one hand to brush back a few loose strands of hair from her face and tuck them behind her ear. "Now, I'm feeling a little artistic... do you want to be my canvas?" he asked with a smirk. She smiled and nodded her head. As if there was ever any doubt. "These need to come off," he said, a finger pulling at the waistband of her knickers.

She rose to her knees, using his shoulders for balance, "Go ahead..." she told him.

He slid them off her hips and down her thighs. They switched places so Lauren was now lying on her back and he pulled her underwear off her legs. He lifted the pot and loaded up the paintbrush. His eyes scanned over her body and Lauren grew self-conscious under his perusal. "Close your eyes, babe." She did as he asked although she paused slightly before she did so. For several seconds he did nothing then she felt the brush running over her body and a couple of times she giggled at the sensations that ran through her.

"What are you doing, Joey?" she asked when he stopped again.

"Admiring my work..." he said with a laugh.

"Can I look?"

"Go ahead," he replied, repeating her earlier words.

Lauren opened her eyes and looked down her body. She began to laugh as she saw what he'd drawn on her body. "What?" he asked innocently. She laughed again. "We can't all be good at art, Lauren." He said, his tone sounding hurt but she could see on his face that he was only teasing her.

"Noughts and crosses, Joe?" she giggled.

"I just went with what I knew..." he said. "And I won... so now I think it's time for my reward." He added. He put the brush back with the pot of chocolate and again looked over her body. "Mmm... where to start?" he asked himself.

"If you don't hurry up the others will be back and playtime will be over." She told him.

"Good point..." he bent down and began at the lowest cross painted onto her body... the one directly over her clit. He brushed his tongue over it, licking away the chocolate and teasing her clit at the same time. Lauren squirmed where she lay. She watched what he was doing and she could see a small flash of frustration wash over his face as he continued to brush his tongue over her. The paint brush was grabbed and more chocolate applied in the same spot... and slightly lower and Joey started again, his efforts redoubled and it had an impact on her. She could feel an orgasm building within her and when his tongue brushed over her opening, slipping inside her as it slid past she cried out his name as euphoria swept through her. Satisfied with what he'd done he gradually climbed her body, paying close attention to every cross he'd daubed on her stomach and chest. There were only two noughts left for him to remove, both circled around her nipples and as he started to focus on one she felt him push his length into her, her body welcoming him in eagerly. Her arousal was steadily climbing again even though she'd only just come and she knew it wouldn't be long until he pushed her over the edge once more. He switched to her other breast, taking his time again to lick away the chocolate.

"Joey..." she moaned, her legs lifting off the mattress and wrapping around his waist, changing the angle he entered her body at slightly. His hips moved faster, both of them so close to coming now. He lifted his head and crashed his mouth against hers in a fervent kiss that took her breath away. In a matter of seconds Lauren was coming again, her breath in gasps as she clung to him tightly. Her peak led to his and he throbbed within her as he buried his face in her neck, kissing and sucking lightly on her skin. He collapsed on top of her, both of their energies spent. He tried to move off of her but she moaned and wouldn't loosen her hold. "Stay..." she whispered.

"I'm going to squash you..." he replied.

"Don't care... don't want you to move." She said stubbornly.

Despite her protests Joey knew he couldn't stay like he was all night so after a bit of encouragement he managed to roll them so he was now lying on the mattress with Lauren half-lying on him. He reached down and pulled a sheet up over their sticky, damp bodies. His arms wound round her waist, holding her close to him as he felt himself drift off to sleep.

TBC

**A/N: So what did you think? Let me know...**

**COMING SOON... TO A FAN FIC SITE NEAR YOU... TWILIGHT... (don't worry no vampires will be present... I've gone a bit more literal with this one...)**


	12. Chapter 12: Twilight

**So here's the next chapter. It's another long one too. More of the same I guess would be one way of describing it. Enjoy!**

**Chapter 12: Twilight.**

The first full day of the weekend away started in the best way possible as far as Lauren was concerned. She woke in Joey's arms, his body pressed behind hers. She was right where she wanted to be. She wondered if there would ever come a time when she wouldn't want to be where she was now. His arm tightened around her waist and then he was kissing her neck so softly, his lips gradually climbing higher until they reached her ear. "Morning babe…" he whispered.

"Hi," she said, turning her head slightly so she could see his face. He moved closer and pecked her gently on the lips.

"I've missed this the last few days." He told her. "This is pretty much one of my favourite moments of the day. I like waking up and you being here with me."

"Me too." She turned her head away from him a little.

"What are you thinking?" he asked softly.

"I'm so glad you came to Walford, Joe. It scares me to think I could've lived the whole of my life without ever knowing you..." She felt him kiss her shoulder, his lips remaining pressed against her skin.

"I would've turned up eventually, Lauren. Alice was never going to stay away from Derek forever."

"You think so?"

"Yeah, I do." He kissed her neck tenderly. "We ought to go and have a shower..."

"I do feel a bit sticky... I think you missed some of the chocolate" she said. "Do you think you can sneak into my room and get my dressing gown?"

"Sure..." he said. He was only gone a few seconds and then he returned carrying her gown.

"I'll go and have a shower..." she said, climbing out of the bed and letting Joey put the gown on her.

"Fancy some company?" he asked softly.

"I think that would be a bad idea..." she murmured, "I'd love it... but we'd get caught, wouldn't we?"

"Probably. Another time then?"

She nodded her head and walked towards the door. She opened it slightly and peeked out, finding the landing fortunately empty. She turned and kissed Joey quickly before making a dash to the bathroom.

*JL*JL*

Joey and Lauren were in the kitchen sorting out a list of food they needed to get when the others began to appear. They could easily see that most of them (well, okay, all of them really except Tamwar) were a little worse for wear.

"You guys left early last night," Whitney said as she sat at the breakfast bar.

"Yeah, I was tired and Joey said he'd walk back with me..." Lauren explained.

"It's not fair, you don't even look hungover..." Poppy groaned as she held her head in her hands.

"I'm not. I didn't have that much to drink so I feel fine this morning." Lauren said with a smile. "Joey and I were going to go and buy some food for the weekend so we can have some lunch and something to drink. Does anyone have any requests?"

The next ten minutes were spent discussing their food needs and Joey added to the list the things that were suggested. "Right, well we'll go and buy this stuff. Shall we split the bill when we get back?" Joey said. Everyone agreed and Joey and Lauren were soon leaving the villa.

"See, we've got more time alone now." Lauren said. Joey slipped his hand in hers after they were out of sight of the villa and squeezed it gently.

"Maybe we can get away again this evening?" he said softly.

"We can try..." Lauren said. "I'd really like that though." She added.

They walked to a nearby supermarket that they'd seen the evening before and managed to find all of the things on their list. They decided to get a taxi back to the villa, rather than carrying all of the shopping back so it wasn't long before they were unloading everything in the kitchen. Once they were done Lauren began to get something ready for everyone to eat for brunch and everyone sat down to eat.

"We were talking this morning while you were out about maybe going off in our couples this afternoon," Lucy said during the meal. "Is that okay with the two of you?" she asked.

"I guess..." Joey said.

"When were you thinking of heading out?" Lauren asked softly.

"Probably straight after we've eaten," Tyler said, "Whit and I want to go and get some presents for Liam, Tiff and Morgan."

"Pops, Lucy, me and Tam are going to explore the town," Fatboy said, "We'll probably stay there into the evening so we won't be back till late."

Alice looked at her brother and cousin, "You two can come with Anthony and me, if you'd like?" she asked them.

"It's fine, Al." Lauren said. "I'll probably just do some sunbathing by the pool and read a magazine or something. You go and have a nice time with Ant..." she smiled at her cousin as she spoke to her but Joey could see the smile didn't quite reach her eyes, not that Alice or anyone else noticed.

"Well we can clear up the plates and things, seeing as you and Joey got it all ready." Whitney said.

"And went shopping," Tamwar added.

After everyone had finished eating, Whitney and Lucy started to clear things away and everyone separated. While no one was looking Lauren slipped upstairs, needing a few minutes by herself.

*JL*JL*

"You okay?" Joey asked as he stood in the doorway of her room. Lauren was sitting on her bed, her arms wrapped around her knees. She nodded her head but he could clearly see she was lying. He walked over to her and sat down so he was sitting behind her. His hands brushed up and down the outside of her thighs as he pulled her back against his chest. She tried to pull away from him but he tightened his hold on her and kissed her cheek softly, "They've all gone... it's just us here." She didn't say anything and he was beginning to worry now. "What is it, babe?" he whispered to her.

"I'm being stupid," she murmured but he could hear the emotion in her voice.

"If it's upsetting you this much, it isn't stupid... Talk to me."

"Is there something wrong with me?" she whispered.

"Why would you think that?"

"My friends don't seem to want to spend any time with me. If you hadn't come, I'd be completely on my own... probably getting drunk and making an idiot of myself."

"There's nothing wrong with you, Lauren. I swear, I would tell you if there was."

"Then why don't they want to be with me?" she murmured, burying her face in her hands.

"Do you remember what I said to you a few weeks ago? About your friends taking advantage of you?" She nodded. "This is what I meant, babe. They get lost in their relationships with their boyfriends and push you to one side, assuming you'll be there when they need you again."

"But why?"

"I don't know. I wish I could give you an answer. I don't understand it. I think you're amazing. I'd choose to be with you... every day." He told her gently.

She wound her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly, "Thanks Joe."

"Maybe it would've been different if I wasn't here. They might be leaving you because they know you have me to hang around with... Maybe I shouldn't have come."

"I'm glad you did. I don't think it would be any different if you weren't here, so I'm glad you are. Anyway I like you being here..." She whispered the last sentence and they fell into silence for a couple of minutes after that.

"Why don't you change and we can go downstairs and spend some time by the pool?" he murmured to her.

"'kay." She said, pulling herself from his arms. She walked over to the cupboard and opened the drawer, looking at the selection of bikinis she had. "What colour do you think today?" she asked him.

"What are the options?"

"Well, there's the green one I wore yesterday. Or I have dark blue, red, gold or white."

He walked up behind her and slipped his hand under her T-shirt, brushing his fingers across her skin. "I think the blue one today..." he told her. "Tonight I'm going to take you out..." he whispered.

"Where to?"

"The beach..." he said, smiling into her hair.

"That sounds nice." She said. She picked up the bikini he'd selected, smiling as she felt Joey lift her T-shirt up her body. He slowly stripped the rest of her clothing off her body. She pulled on the bikini bottoms and stood while Joey put the top in place.

"Stunning, Lauren." She smiled at his words and took one step back towards him, pressing herself back into his chest, feeling his arms wrap around her waist.

"You should change too..." she whispered.

"I will... in a minute." He murmured. He dipped his head and kissed the base of her neck. "Do you want me to put some suntan lotion on you?" She smiled and grabbed the bottle she'd brought with her, passing it to him. He began to put the lotion over her body, starting with her back. While he was doing that she piled her hair up in a bun on the top of her head. "Give me a minute and you can put some of this on me, if you'd like..."

"Course I will..." He left the room and returned minutes later, this time dressed in black trunks. She took her time to rub the suntan lotion into his body, appreciating the hard muscles beneath where her fingers worked. Once he was done she took his hands in hers and walked backwards out of the room, pulling him with her.

"Careful, babe. I don't want you to hurt yourself," he said softly when she began to go down the stairs backwards.

"I won't get hurt, Joe. I know you'll rescue me every time... right?" she paused her movement and stared at him, waiting for him to confirm what she'd just said.

"Sure will." He told her. They walked the rest of the way in silence until they were on the patio. Lauren lay out a towel on one of the sun loungers and then lay down on her back. Joey stared at her for several seconds, his eyes drifting up and down her body. He then moved another of the sun loungers over so it was near to hers and lay down. They lay in silence for more than an hour.

Lauren decided she needed to turn over and when she did so she undid the back of her top, trying to reduce some of the tan marks. "Joey, can you put some more lotion on my back?" she asked him softly. He didn't reply but she saw him get up from his lounger and then his fingers were smoothing more lotion into her back. He also did the back of her legs and arms. She smiled when his fingers brushed the sides of her breasts. He bent down and kissed her cheek, then put some sun tan lotion on her face as well. "Do you want me to do you?" she asked him as he stood back up.

"Okay..." he said. She pulled herself up to a sitting position and then rubbed more lotion over the back of his body and arms as he sat on the edge of her lounger. He stood up and she did the back of his legs. She wiped the excess lotion onto her legs. Smiling slightly she pulled down the waistband of his trunks and kissed the bare skin beneath before snapping the trunks back in place. He sat back on the edge of her lounger, staring at her face for several seconds. He flashed a smile at her and then leant forward and kissed her deeply, his hands brushing up her body and caressing her naked chest.

"We should go back to sunbathing, babe... before we get carried away..." she whispered, resting her head on his shoulder as she spoke.

"I don't mind getting carried away..." he told her.

"What if some of them come back?" she said. "Let's sunbathe for a while, Joe. We've always got later..."

"I'm going to hold you to that." He said.

"Good..." she replied.

A few minutes later they were both lying on their respective loungers again. Joey turned his head so he was looking at Lauren and with the hand that was nearest her, he reached over and entwined a couple of his fingers with hers. She opened her eyes and smiled at him. Their eyes remained locked for some time, neither of them saying anything but managing to communicate nonetheless.

*JL*JL*

Lauren woke sharply, feeling something cold on her back which caused her to gasp. She opened her eyes and saw Joey was crouched next to her lounger, his body shading her top half from the sun somewhat.

"You're starting to go a bit pink, babe..." he said.

"I didn't mean to fall asleep." She mumbled, still feeling quite sleepy.

"I brought you out a drink." He said, holding the glass near her face. She could see the condensation on the side of it and it explained the cold shock she'd received moments earlier. She took the glass from him and drank from the glass, closing her eyes as the ice cold water cooled her down.

"It's so hot..." she said to him softly.

"Fancy going in the pool to cool off?" he asked. She nodded and put the glass under her lounger so it was in the shade. Joey helped her to her feet. "I got texts from Tyler and Alice and it sounds like they're all out until this evening." She smiled slightly but Joey could see what he'd said had bothered her. He pressed his lips to her forehead, "At least this means we know we won't be disturbed now... so we can get up to whatever we want..." he told her softly. Her arms wound around his waist and she rested her face against his chest.

"I want you..." she murmured.

"Good to know, babe." He whispered. His hands slipped lower and curved around her ass. Moments later he was lifting her off the floor. His mouth met hers as she wrapped her legs around his waist and moved her arms to his neck. She moaned into his mouth as he deepened the kiss and pulled her body tighter against his. They stared at each other as they pulled apart, both breathing deeply. "Hold your breath, Lauren." No sooner had he spoke then he was jumping into the pool with her in his arms. Both went under the surface and Lauren was still clinging to him when they broke back through seconds later. Lauren smiled at him, brushing some of the water from his face while he still held her in his arms. She loosened her hold on him slightly and his hands brushed over her body, always drawn back to her chest.

"Fuck me, Joe." She begged him, "I want you so badly..." she whispered. He released his hold on her, letting her legs move to the floor. His hands brushed down to her hips and he pushed the bikini bottoms down her legs. She kicked them to one side, needing him more than she was worried about losing them. She stepped closer to him and slipped her hand into his trunks, stroking his hardening cock. Her other hand worked with his to shove his trunks out of the way. He pulled her back into his arms and kissed her with gusto, her hand still moving on his length. Lauren moved the tip of him to her opening and they both sighed as he entered her quickly. They both stopped moving, taking their time to savour this moment. Joey walked them to the shallow end of the pool where there were steps down into the water. He turned and sat on a step so half his chest was above the surface. Lauren was now sitting on his lap and she began to move on him, frantically striving for the peak she was desperate to achieve. "Oh, god, babe." She whimpered, her need was so high now. She was so close to coming but she wanted him to come with her. She looked at his face, her whole body practically shaking as she teetered on the edge and she could see the passion and desire on his face and in his eyes. Her hand rose and brushed the side of his face, her thumb stroking his cheek softly. "Fuck me hard, Joey." She breathed, her lips settling on his again. As she kissed him her movements gradually slowed and Joey took over, moving them so her back was now pressed against the side of the pool. He began to thrust into her hard and Lauren felt her arousal climb again to the heady heights. Joey lowered his mouth to a breast and pulled the tip into his mouth, sucking on its and bathing it with his tongue. His fingers brushed over its partner and Lauren fell over the edge, her core tightening on him and pushing him past the point of no return. He moved his mouth back to hers, his cock continuing to move in and out of her as they tried to prolong the moment. Neither of them spoke but both were unknowingly thinking the same thing. They didn't ever want this to end.

*JL*JL*

Lauren was in the shower when the others started to return. After their session in the pool both had returned to sunbathing, although Lauren didn't bother with her bikini top anymore. There seemed little point when Joey had seen everything anyway and this meant she would have very few tan lines. As she stood in the shower she knew her body was very slightly pink but the water was soothing it and she was pretty sure she wouldn't be in any pain later.

She finished and wrapped the towel around her body, walking quickly back to her room. She smiled as she saw Joey sat on her bed. "I thought you'd be downstairs having a beer with the boys?" she murmured.

"I'd rather be here with you, you know that." He told her. "Anyway, I thought you might like me to put some after sun on your back." He added with a slight smirk.

"That's a good idea..." she said, walking over to the side and picking up the bottle of after sun. She handed it to him as she reached the bed. She sat on the edge of her bed and removed the towel, winding it around her hair and piling it on her head. Ever so slowly he put the after sun on her back, his touch so gentle it was making her breath falter.

He finished on her back eventually, "Turn around, babe," he whispered. She did as he asked and he started again, stroking her skin with the soothing lotion so carefully that she couldn't help the moan that fell from her lips. "I think we're both enjoying this a little too much, babe." He said, his voice barely audible.

"Touch me, Joe..." she whispered, biting her lip.

"Lauren?"

"I need you in me... Feels like I'm going to explode, Joe." She looked at him in desperation. "Can't you feel it?" she asked him.

He nodded in silence, moving quickly and thrusting his ever-ready length into her. She clutched his arms with her hands and gasped softly as he once again satisfied her needs, giving her exactly what she wanted and needed. He just had to touch her and she was practically coming... it would be embarrassing if it was anyone else but the thing was, he seemed to react much the same way. He just had to look at her and his cock would harden... she knew it, she'd seen it happen and he told her it all the time.

*JL*JL*

"Wow. That was intense..." Joey said a few minutes later as they lay on her bed, Lauren in his arms.

"It's completely your own fault... the way you were touching me when you were putting the after sun on me... it was only going to end one way."

He kissed the tip of her nose softly. "We should go and get ready for our night out."

"What should I wear?" she asked him.

"We're going to the beach... just wear something you feel comfortable in. You don't have to dress up if you don't want to, Lauren. It's really up to you..."

"I've got a nice dress..." she said, clambering from the bed and opening the wardrobe. After a couple of seconds she turned around and held a dress in front of her naked body.

"Beautiful..." he told her. "Just like you."

"Joe..." she whispered, turning back to the wardrobe and hanging the dress back up. She was very aware of him watching as she got dressed. The dress was white so with her dark hair and slight tan, the dress was quite a contrast. Joey rose from the bed and walked towards her as she put on some make-up, keeping the look fairly natural. She turned to face him once she was done and stood on her tiptoes to kiss him softly. "You're a little underdressed, Joe..." she said with a giggle.

"I'll go and put something on and I'll meet you downstairs." He replied.

*JL*JL*

"You look really nice, Lauren," Alice said as she walked back into the villa from outside.

"Thanks Al. Joey and I are going into town for a couple of hours."

"That's a shame. Tyler and Anthony are just sorting out a barbecue. It would've been fun if you and Joe were there too."

"It'll still be fun, Alice." Lauren said with a smile, "I think Joey and I are just feeling a bit stir crazy after spending the whole day here. We can do something together tomorrow, if you'd like." Lauren suggested.

"Maybe we should do something as a group?" Alice said.

"Sure." Lauren turned towards the stairs when she heard footsteps and smiled at her cousin as she saw him coming down to meet her. "Alice was just saying that all of us should do something together tomorrow."

"Sounds good to me." Joey said, "You ready?" he asked her.

"Yeah..." She stepped forward and hugged Alice, "See you later, Al."

*JL*JL*

The walk down to the beach was nice. Evening was starting to draw in and the heat had lessened somewhat, although it was still pretty warm by British standards. Joey was holding Lauren's hand again as they walked away from the villa. The beach was quiet when they got there, everyone having left for the day to go and have some food. Joey had brought a bag with him and once they were in a secluded area of the beach he pulled a blanket out of the bag and placed it carefully on the sand. "Have a seat, milady." He said, bowing slightly and helping her sit on the blanket. He bent down and kissed her briefly, "I'll be back in a couple of minutes." He said before dashing away.

Lauren stared out across the water, drawing her knees up to her chest and wrapping her arms around her legs. She jumped when Joey suddenly appeared and sat behind her, his legs either side of hers. "You made me jump, Joey."

"Sorry. Will chips make it up to you?" he said, holding a portion of chips in some paper in front of her. "I thought we should have something to eat."

"You really know how to spoil a girl, Joe." She whispered, although there was definitely a smile on her face as she spoke.

"Nothing but the best for you, Lauren." He said. He wrapped his arms around her and for the next few minutes they shared the chips in silence. Lauren rested her head back against his shoulder once they'd finished eating.

"Why are we here?" she whispered.

"For this..." he breathed into her hair.

Lauren looked into the distance she could see the slight orange tinge to the sky and she realized what he'd brought her to see. "You brought me to see the sunset?" she asked him in barely a whisper.

"I wanted to see it with you." He bent down slightly and kissed her neck. "It's one of my favourite times of the day, something that means a lot to me. When I was small, mum used to take me and Alice away to the seaside every summer. This was after Derek had gone. The first time I remember Alice was still really small and mum was having problems getting her to sleep. She'd take us down to the beach, Alice in her buggy and while mum would rock her to sleep, the two of us would watch the sunset. It became our thing. Even when Alice was older we'd still go down to the beach and watch it."

It was the first time Joey had ever really opened up to her about his childhood and she liked seeing this side of him. It was nice to see the softer side of her cousin. "It marks the end of one thing and the start of something new." She whispered, deep in thought.

"Exactly…" Joey whispered. Lauren sat between his legs, with her back against his chest and stared out over the distance. They sat in silence as the sun gradually set over the horizon, welcoming the end of what had been a fantastic day.

"It's so beautiful," she breathed as the sky turned a darker red and then purple before fading to black.

"Hmm," he agreed with her but his lack of words made her turn his head to look at his face, finding him looking at her rather than the reason they came.

"What?" She said.

"I was just agreeing with you," he said, his eyes looking at her briefly before turning to the remnants of the sunset.

"Hmm," she said, not quite sure she believed what he was saying.

"Are you doubting me, Lauren?" he asked her, a hint of laughter in his voice.

"You just didn't seem to be watching… I thought it was your favourite time of day."

"It is and I just enjoyed it again for the first time in years with my best friend. What's wrong with that?"

"Nothing…" she said, her cheeks blushing.

"I want to make love to you, Lauren…" he whispered after a couple more minutes of silence.

"Let's go back to the villa then." She replied.

"No, I meant here... now..."

Lauren turned her head to look at his face, "What if someone sees us?"

"This is a remote part of the beach, babe. We'll be fine. It's dark now and there's no one around."

She thought about it for a while, Joey sitting patiently behind her, giving her time to process what he'd suggested. "Okay, Joe." She finally whispered.

"We're going to have to be quick and quiet, babe." Lauren shifted in his arms, turning and kneeling so she was now facing him. His hands lifted and cupped her face, pulling her closer so their mouths met once more. They lay on the blanket and Joey rolled them so he was on top of her. His hand brushed up her thigh and she moaned softly, "Shh babe." He breathed against her lips. His hand moved higher, brushing across her knickers. He pushed them aside and his fingertips grazed across her opening. "Now I know you want this..." he murmured. Lauren bit her lip as his finger dipped inside, brushing her inner wall and finding the spot that always blew her away.

"Joe... we don't have time for that," she gasped as he continued to touch her so intimately.

"I guess you're right..." he said. He lifted himself off her and both hands removed her underwear, slipping them in the bag he'd brought with him. His shorts and boxers were pushed down but not off... She was right, this was going to have to be quick. Her dress was up around her waist and he stared down at her lower half. This was like a dream come true for him. There was so much he liked about the arrangement he had with his cousin. He pushed his length into her and gazed down at her face, seeing the emotions on her face, even though it was dark. "This will never grow old, Lauren."

"I like what we have too." She murmured.

"I have always wanted to do this..." he told her, kissing her tenderly.

"Do what?"

"Have sex with a girl on a beach... and I'm getting to do it with my best friend."

"You're my best friend too, Joe. More than Whitney or Lucy... I don't think I've ever been closer to anyone in my life." She whispered to him.

"I'm glad about that, Lauren..." He lowered his forehead to her chest, his thrusts increasing in speed and force. His hands slid down her body and settled on her hips, gripping them firmly. Lauren's arms pulled him closer to her and she kissed him desperately. She was moving with him and both knew it wouldn't be very long before the end was reached.

Moments later Joey grunted against her neck, his length pulsing within her. Lauren was close behind him, her back arching off the blanket and pressing her body into his chest. His lips pressed against her neck, sucking and kissing it gently, not enough to mark her but it increased her arousal once more. They were insatiable.

*JL*JL*

Lauren straightened her clothes as Joey folded the blanket up and put it back in his bag. He took her hand in his and they strolled back down the beach. Joey squeezed her hand, "You okay?"

"Of course I am. I've had some of the best sex ever over the last couple of days." She told him softly.

"Do you think they'll all be there when we get back?" he asked.

"Maybe... it depends on whether Lucy and the others stay in town and make a night of it." Lauren shrugged and looked at him. "I don't really care anymore." She told him. "As long as you're with me... that is all that's important to me now." He smiled at her and they walked the remainder of the distance to the villa in silence.

*JL*JL*

Lucy and the others hadn't arrived back at the villa and when Lauren and Joey walked out to the back of the villa they found Whitney, Alice, Anthony and Tyler sitting around the pool, drinking.

"Hey guys..." Joey said.

"I'm just going to nip upstairs..." Lauren murmured, running into the villa and up to the bathroom. She needed to freshen up a little after their escapades on the beach. When she walked back out of the villa she found Joey sitting on one of the sun loungers, two bottles of beer in his hands. She sat on the same lounger as him, close but not quite touching him.

*JL*JL*

The six of them sat talking and laughing around the pool for a couple of hours before the others came back. Lauren tensed slightly when she saw Lucy staring at her and Joey intensely but then she was distracted by something Tamwar said to her and Lauren relaxed again. She yawned almost an hour later and finished the rest of her beer. "I think I'm going to call it a night..." she said softly. "I'll see you all in the morning."

She was asleep in bed an hour later when she was woken by a pair of arms pulling her back against their owner's body. Lips pressed against her hair in a tender kiss. She twisted around and settled herself against his chest, kissing above his heart softly as she closed her eyes again.

"Night babe..." he whispered as she fell asleep.

**TBC**

**A/N: So what do you think? Also, I posted a one-shot last night too - It's called Regrets. Please read and review that too.**

**COMING SOON... TO A FAN FIC SITE NEAR YOU... GHOSTS OF GIRLFRIEND'S PAST...**


	13. Chapter 13: Ghosts of Girlfriend's Past

**So I was asked to post another chapter tonight - so here you go.**

**Chapter 13: Ghosts of Girlfriends Past.**

Lauren was sleeping lightly on the flight home, her head resting against Joey's shoulder. His arm was around her shoulders. She was exhausted. She's barely been able to keep her eyes open this morning. Saturday at the villa with Joey had been enough to tire her out but their sex marathon had continued in the two days since then. Sunday had also been tiring because the whole group had gone to a water park and although they did split up once there, it had been a great day. She also had an excuse to hang out with Joey again as well. And she'd worked on her tan a little more. Joey was also pretty taken by the bikini she'd worn that day. She'd selected the gold one and every time Joey's eyes had looked her way she felt her body temperature increase by a couple of degrees. They'd gone down several of the water chutes together so he'd had a chance to legitimately put his hands on her body. It was something he'd really taken advantage of. Now he was taking his chance again, with the two of them sitting on their own on the plane, to hold her in his arms.

The others were all at the front of the plane, having managed to get seats relatively close to each other. Joey and Lauren had opted for the two seats that were further back on the plane, with Lauren saying she was probably going to sleep the whole flight anyway, which hadn't been far from the truth.

Once the plane landed Joey shook her awake and she slowly opened her eyes, blinking a couple of times. Joey kissed her gently and she smiled against his mouth. "Wakey, wakey, sleepyhead..." he murmured.

"It's your fault. You tired me out." She said. "We'd better get going..."

They met the others at passport control, which was blessedly quiet so they were through it pretty quickly. They then went to retrieve their cases and made their way out of the airport to find Jack and Max waiting for them all.

*JL*JL*

Max was driving his daughter, nephew, niece and her boyfriend back to the square. Alice had been talking animatedly about their weekend away. Anthony would speak every now and again but he couldn't help but notice that Lauren and Joey were both very quiet.

The car pulled into the square and Max stopped the car outside number 5. Everyone got out and Max and Joey started getting the cases out of the car.

"Joey!"

"Isn't that Debbie?" Alice said to her brother.

"Huh?" Joey said, staring at his sister in confusion.

"Joey!"

Joey looked in the direction of where someone was calling his name and the next thing he knew she was in his arms. His ex-girlfriend. Except girlfriend was a bit of a strong word, really. She was just someone he had sex with when he was drunk and couldn't find anyone else. And now she was clinging to him tightly and it just felt wrong. His thoughts went to another girl, one that when she clung to him made Joey think of perfection and he pushed the blonde girl away from him. "What are you doing here, Debbie?"

"I came here for you, Joey. I want us to get back together." She said, smiling at him broadly. "I love you, Joey."

Joey stared at her in shock. This was not what he'd anticipated. Again his thoughts turned to his cousin; his best friend. He glanced to where she was standing but she was gone. His heart sank as he heard the door to her house slam shut. Fuck!

TBC

**A/N: Bet you wish you hadn't asked now, don't you... I wonder what this means for their "arrangement"? I'll respond to reviews for the last chapter in a while - got some more cupcakes to bake.**

**COMING SOON... TO A FAN FIC SITE NEAR YOU... THE UGLY TRUTH.**


	14. Chapter 14: The Ugly Truth

**So I guess you've realised we're heading for the bumpy section of this story... the next few chapters are all about them realising their feelings and deciding how to handle what they now know and what they're going to do about it. Will they stay together? You'll have to wait and see... Enjoy!**

**Chapter 14: The Ugly Truth.**

Lauren felt about as miserable as she had ever done. Every time she walked out of her house all she saw was Joey and his girlfriend. She'd lost her best friend in the space of a few minutes. After one of the best weekends of her life, she now felt the worst she ever had.

She thought Joey had been as happy with the arrangement as she had but _she_ was still hanging around so Lauren must be mistaken. Over the last couple of days she'd seen this blast from his past on several occasions and she'd had a chance to really study her. She remembered the conversation she'd had with him... was it really only six weeks ago? Debbie was exactly how he'd described that evening. She was everything Lauren wasn't and it just reaffirmed for her that there was something wrong with her.

She was realistic enough to admit that in the looks departments she was sadly lacking in comparison to Debbie. Debbie was exactly the type of girl Joey usually went for so obviously he would want to get back together with her again. Which meant Lauren was on her own... again. In the space of a few minutes Lauren's world had been turned upside down and it hurt. It hurt more than any of the drama she'd previously been subjected to. This was the worst pain she could ever feel.

This was the pain of inadequacy and it was something she would never be able to beat. Any confidence she'd previously had evaporated over the space of a couple of days. Each time she saw the two of them together a little bit more of the Lauren the residents of Walford knew and loved was replaced by a shadow of her former self. Now almost a week later that former Lauren was almost completely gone. Lauren didn't even like the person she had become so why in the hell would Joey like her.

TBC

**A/N: Can I just say for the record... I don't for a second think any of the above about Lauren... this is all about her vulnerabilities. Personally I think she's stunning and Debbie pales into insignificance... Just saying! So what did you think? She hasn't quite come to the realisation yet but she's almost there...**

**COMING SOON... TO A FAN FIC SITE NEAR YOU... SOME KIND OF WONDERFUL.**


	15. Chapter 15: Some Kind of Wonderful

**Another short chapter. Sorry... Kind of an important one though. I know a lot of you want to see Joey but you're going to have to wait a little longer. Still think you might like it though... Enjoy!**

**Chapter 15: Some Kind of Wonderful.**

As had frequently been the case since their return from Spain, Lauren had shut herself in her bedroom. She was gradually pulling away from everyone in her life and she was spending a lot of time alone. She wasn't sure what she felt about the fact none of her friends had contacted her to see if she was okay. She was sitting on her bed and doodling in a book she had. This was also a pretty regular occurrence since she'd come back from Spain. She wasn't even aware of what she was drawing. Her thoughts were further away; currently located in the B&B. She was imagining what Joey was doing with his girlfriend. Pain ricocheted through her body as she saw a vision of him making love to Debbie and she flinched, closing her eyes and trying to rid that image from her brain. It wouldn't happen though... she couldn't rid the image from her thoughts. She knew how much Joey loved sex; recently it had been rare for the two of them to go more than a day without something happening between them. Those days in Spain it had been even more prolific, with their sex drive pushing them to several times a day. It had been more than a week since they'd come back. There was no way Joey would go without for that long, she knew that, however much she hated to admit it.

And now she was getting none and she missed it. Actually it wasn't the sex she was missing. She missed Joey. She missed the sex with Joey and she missed just being in his company. She missed seeing him smile at her and the way he made her feel like the most special and beautiful girl in the world. Even if she thought that was a lie.

She sighed and drew her attention back to the pad she was still drawing in. Another throb of pain ebbed through her when she saw what she'd drawn. She turned back several pages and saw similar images across each of them. It was the same each day and it broke her heart. It was all she'd been able to draw all week and it just made her feel worse.

Each page was filled with picture after picture of Joey's face. Every little detail scribed perfectly onto the paper each time. Tears fell down her face as the realisation of what this meant finally sank in. After days of hiding from the truth she couldn't avoid it any longer. It was time for her to be honest with herself. She was in love with Joey. It had been something she'd suspected for some time, longer than she was prepared to admit, even now. It had stopped being a simple arrangement between friends weeks ago; for her anyway. She had craved that time with him because he was the person she hadn't even realised she wanted.

She didn't know when it had changed for her. She knew it had originally been the arrangement he'd suggested but sometime during the last six weeks her feelings of friendship had morphed into what she now felt and it made the pain of losing him even worse. Not only had she lost the man she loved she'd also lost her best friend.

TBC

**A/N: So there you go... she's finally admitted it. To herself anyway. Of course that doesn't mean anything if Joey doesn't feel the same way... I wonder if he's happy with Debbie? I'm guessing not - but who am I to say? I could be very wrong. Back tomorrow.**

**COMING SOON... TO A FAN FIC SITE NEAR YOU... HOW TO LOSE A GUY IN 10 DAYS...**

**Oh dear... :-(**


	16. Chapter 16: How To Lose A Guy In 10 Days

**Back for another short chapter... More Lauren... We'll see more of Joey soon, don't worry. Um, enjoy?**

**Chapter 16: How To Lose A Guy In 10 Days.**

It was more than a week since the return from their holiday and Lauren hadn't seen Joey since they'd got back to Walford. Not to speak to anyway. She'd seen him, of course, but every time he saw her and tried to speak to her she'd run away, locking herself in the house.

It had also been three days since she admitted, to herself at least, her feelings for Joey and Lauren was still confused about how those feelings could sneak up on her like that without her even realising it. There was one thing she was now sure of though. If it wasn't already, after the reappearance of Debbie, the arrangement had to end. Their own main rule had been that this shouldn't affect their friendship and impact the family. Both of those were now at risk if Lauren felt these feelings for her cousin so she had to end it.

How she coped with the end of it she hadn't yet managed to work out but she had to do it. She couldn't let it carry on now, she knew that. And the truth of the situation was if she didn't stop it, the pain when it did eventually come to an end would only be worse than it was going to be now. And she knew it was only going to end one way... she wasn't lucky enough to find someone as fantastic as Joey and have it last.

Lauren knew what she did next would possibly be one of the most painful things she would ever have to do but she knew she was right. If there was any hope of salvaging a friendship with Joey, she needed to do this now.

Her phone beeped and she picked it up. Her heart clenched as she saw who the message was from.

_We need to talk. Can you come over? X_

TBC

**A/N: Oh dear. Mmm... well I wonder what Joey wants to talk about? Back later...**

**COMING SOON... TO A FAN FIC SITE NEAR YOU... MY SASSY GIRL...**


	17. Chapter 17: My Sassy Girl

**Yes... I'm back. A second chapter for the day... aren't I kind? So a slightly longer chapter now and we're seeing just what Joey has been up to while Lauren has had her realisation. So, enjoy!**

**Chapter 17: My Sassy Girl.**

Joey was having a nightmare of a week. It felt like much longer though. He couldn't believe how messed up everything had become since they'd arrived back from their holiday. The arrival of Debbie had definitely thrown him slightly and for a couple of days he'd let her continue in her endeavours, simply trying to evade her advances as best he could. Then he put her out of her misery and told her there was zero chance of the two of them getting back together. She hadn't particularly liked that discussion and Joey knew Alice didn't understand it either but he'd known, in both his heart and his head that nothing would ever happen with Debbie again. He didn't want her. He knew that now. He knew what he wanted. He couldn't understand why it had taken him so long to realise what it was he wanted. How could he be so stupid? Actually it wasn't stupidity. He had known for a long time what his feelings had been... admitting them was something completely different. He could do that now though. He knew what he wanted.

He wanted Lauren. He wanted his cousin. He was in love with her. This last week had been miserable. He wanted her so badly. He was missing her. He'd tried to speak to her so many times over the first few days but every time she saw him she ran away from him. It was frustrating and more than anything his feelings for her just intensified. He missed his best friend. He had no one he could talk to about this and he knew she would be no different.

He'd spent the last couple of days wondering how she felt about him. He hoped it was the same way he did for her but he couldn't be sure. And he wasn't sure he was willing to open himself up to her ridicule by revealing how he felt to her just for her to reject him. The pain of that would be too much to bear and he knew it would ruin the friendship they already shared. He wasn't sure he was prepared to risk that on the off chance she felt the same way.

He sighed and walked into his room at the B&B. Each time he opened his door he hoped there was a small chance Lauren would be there waiting for him. And each time he was disappointed. He stripped off his clothes and climbed into the bed. It felt wrong somehow to be here and not have Lauren in his arms but he was exhausted and he hoped he'd be able to get some sleep tonight... something more than the odd half hour here and there that he'd got over the last few days anyway.

*JL*JL*

Joey woke with a jump from the same dream he'd had for days now. Each time he woke longing for the feel of Lauren pressed against him. He wanted to make love to her. Hell he'd settle for fucking her at this precise moment but really he longed to hold her in his arms and know it was for the right reasons. He sighed as he took his length in this hand and started to stroke it. This was another disadvantage of not having Lauren around anymore. He missed the sex. In reality it wasn't the sex though; if he was really desperate he could've gone to Debbie and had some meaningless fling with her... even just a one night stand but he couldn't do that. Not to himself and not to Debbie. And more importantly still, not to Lauren. He couldn't imagine doing it with anyone else now because she gave him everything he ever wanted. He wasn't going to demean what they had together so here he was, masturbating to thoughts of his cousin and while it should be wrong on so many levels to do that, it was only thoughts of her that would give him any satisfaction. Self relief was something he'd rarely had to resort to since their arrangement began and he really didn't want to go back to that, but waking up aroused every morning left him little alternative. Sex with Lauren had been amazing... the best he'd ever had.

He closed his eyes and remembered the sight of her in that gold bikini. He was practically hard as soon as she'd walked out of the changing rooms at the water park and he'd made sure she knew as soon as they were alone by pressing his hips against hers when they stood in a queue. She had looked at him and he could see the desire on her face. He knew the same emotion was written on his too.

His thoughts drifted to the day before the water park when she'd walked into her room after her shower. The sight of her in just a towel took his breath away. Then she'd just dropped the towel so he could put after sun on her and the sight of her naked in front of him, with no hesitancy about doing it increased his arousal now. She'd asked him to touch her and it had only taken the few seconds to push into her for both of them to find their release. It had been the most intense experience of his life. Now thinking back to then it was this one time that gave him hope she felt the same way he did.

He thought of both times in the pool with Lauren and how it had felt to lose control with her like that... to just follow their instincts. Joey knew without a shadow of a doubt that Lauren didn't realise how sexy she was and how much most of the guys she knew had thought, at least one time, about being with her. Tyler, Anthony and Fatboy had all said something along that line to him at one time or another, then apologising for talking about his cousin to him like that. He'd just smiled at them and wondered what they would think if he was to tell them that he'd been in the position they all had wished to be just once. Tyler did tell him that they'd had a drunken fumble when he'd briefly split up with Whitney but he was so drunk he couldn't remember any of it. Something he kind of regretted now apparently.

Joey's thoughts drifted to the time on the beach. He always thought of that time when he was close to reaching his peak because of all the times he'd been with Lauren, it was possibly his favourite. From the outfit she'd worn, which made her look so innocent, to the expression on her face as he'd made love to her... all of it had been breathtaking. Holding her in his arms as they watched the sunset was a moment that made Joey equally happy and sad. Looking back at it now Joey knew it was the first time he'd ever felt complete in his life. Nothing had been bothering him and he was holding the woman he loved in his arms... although he may not have realised it at the time. He couldn't imagine a more perfect moment happening again... especially not with anyone else.

Various other moments ran through his head, the movement of his hand increasing in speed and then he came and all he could think of was the look on Lauren's face as they lay on the beach... the look in her eyes as she came and smiled at him with such love on her face imprinted in his memory for evermore.

He lay in his bed as he tried to compose himself moments later. He could smell her faintly in the sheets and it made him miss her more. Much as he wanted to, he couldn't delay it any longer, he had to start his day. Maybe today would be the day he would see her and get to speak to her.

After he came out of the shower he picked up his mobile and sent her a quick text.

_We need to talk. Can you come over? X_

TBC

**A/N: So apparently I'm not that kind then... and I guess you're a little disappointed right...? No further forward in the story... but, really we are because Debbie has come and gone (without coming... :-) ) and Joey has had his own epiphany and he knows what he wants. He wants Lauren. So back again tomorrow and well, don't hate too much when you see the next chapters title...**

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**COMING SOON... TO A FAN FIC SITE NEAR YOU... THE BREAK UP...**

**Mmm... Oops. Sorry.**


	18. Chapter 18: The Break-Up

**Well... here it is... the chapter you've all been dreading. I almost don't want to post it... but it has to be done. Think of it as the end of something... they just need to move forward onto the something new part... hopefully. It may be a bit too much to ask you to enjoy this... but please read it to the end. There's still plenty left of this story.**

**Chapter 18: The Break-Up.**

Lauren knocked on the door to his room with a heavy heart. This was the last place she wanted to be... and she was about to do the last thing she wanted to do but it had to be done.

Joey opened the door and for a few seconds they just stared at each other. "Come in..." he eventually said, stepping back so she could walk into his room.

Again the room fell to silence. "You wanted to talk," Lauren asked, her whole body tense as she stood on the far side of the room.

"I'm sorry for what happened..." he told her, "For the way Debbie appeared."

"It's fine, Joey. I knew this was only ever going to be a temporary thing and that's fine. It's not like it meant anything... it was just a bit of fun." She said, although she couldn't bring herself to look at his face as she spoke. She suspected he'd be able to see through the lies she was telling him.

If she had been looking at his face however, she would've seen the devastation her words brought about and she would know he felt the same way. But she wasn't looking and Joey turned away from her and began busying himself with unnecessary tasks, trying to hide the fact she'd just dealt him a mortal blow. How had he misread the signs so badly? "Yeah, it was fun while it lasted..." he said softly, managing to mask the pain in his voice.

"So we go back to just being friends then? No benefits..." Lauren whispered.

Friends. The word stung more than he thought it would. "Sure." He said softly. "Maybe we should give it a few weeks though... just till we both get a chance to get used to things being that way again." He couldn't work out if it would worse to see her every day and not be able to have her or if he didn't see her at all. Neither option was particularly appealing.

"Sure." She said quietly. "If you think that's best, then I guess that's the way we should play it. We'll just avoid each other for a few weeks." She straightened up and glanced at him. She wished she could see his face one more time... maybe this wouldn't hurt so much then. "I hope you'll be really happy, Joey." She whispered. "That's all I want... for you to be happy." She walked quickly to the door and was gone before he could say anything else.

The door shut behind her with a slam and Joey felt like his heart was breaking in two. He listened carefully to the sound of her footsteps retreating down the stairs then once he was sure she was out of earshot he swiped his arms across the cupboard sending everything on the surface crashing to the floor. He'd have loved to say that made him feel a tiny bit better but it really didn't help at all. He sank to his knees, leaning his arms against the cupboard and hanging his head. He was literally in agony as the anxiety of losing the one thing he desired more than anything else hit home.

*JL*JL*

Lauren ran across the square and up the stairs to number 5. She let herself into the house and ran up the stairs to her bedroom, ignoring the concerned questions from her dad as he walked out of the kitchen and saw her. She slammed the door shut behind her and leant against it. Very slowly she slid down the door until she was sitting on the floor and she drew her legs up to her chest. Her throat was tight and her whole body was shaking as she ran through the conversation again in her head. A tiny sob slipped through her lips and it was only then that the avalanche of tears began; her crying increasing in volume and strength as the minutes ticked by.

She was vaguely aware of the sound of her dad's voice through the door but she couldn't ascertain what he'd said because all she could hear was the sound of blood rushing through her veins and 'it was fun while it lasted' running over and over in her memory.

*JL*JL*

Joey phoned in sick that night. There was no way he would be able to work his shift at R&R's. He could barely move. It hurt to breathe. The thought of trying to function like a normal human being was too much to bear.

*JL*JL*

Lauren was still sitting by the door of her room. It was dark outside now so she knew it had been a long time since _it_ ended but she couldn't quantify how long that was. She didn't really care anyway. Tears were still running down her face but her crying had fallen to silence at least two hours earlier. She could hear her mum or dad come and check on her every now and again but she just didn't have the energy to respond to their concerned questions. What was she supposed to tell them anyway? _Well, you see, you don't need to worry or anything but I've been sleeping with Joey... yes, I know he's my cousin but it was only supposed to be a casual thing. The problem is I fell in love with him and now we've ended it because he's getting back together with his girlfriend._ Somehow she didn't think her parents would be prepared to listen to anything past her saying she'd been sleeping with him.

*JL*JL*

Joey lay in his bed, staring up at the ceiling. He was exhausted but every time he closed his eyes he saw her face. It was too painful to see her. He thought back through what had been said and tried to work out where it had all gone wrong. He could've sworn he hadn't misread the signs that badly; why had she been so quick to end it? _It was just a bit of fun..._ It certainly didn't feel much like fun at the moment.

*JL*JL*

Lauren finally moved to her bed, crawling under the covers and pulling them over her head. She wished she could switch her brain off. It was just going over what had happened, replaying every painful second with such clarity it was like she was back in his room.

She heard the door to her room open and then someone sat on her bed, "Lauren?" It was her father and she could hear the worry in his voice. "Talk to me, babe?" he said, his hand running over the top of her duvet. Lauren said nothing. "Babe, your mum and I are worried about you..."

"Leave me alone..." she whispered, needing to get him out of the room before she began to cry again.

"When you want to talk... we're here for you, okay?" he said softly. He stood and then pressed his lips against the top of her head (the only part of her still visible) in a gentle kiss. The room fell silent and Lauren wondered what he was waiting for. Eventually he gave up and left the room, closing the door behind him quietly.

TBC

**A/N: So that was painful, wasn't it? If only they would communicate with each other... Wonder what happens next time.**

**COMING SOON... TO A FAN FIC SITE NEAR YOU... SERENDIPITY...**

**Possibly one of my favourite films... ever.**


	19. Chapter 19: Serendipity

**Come on Murray, I want my Eastenders! **

**So here is the next chapter... not sure you'll like this one either but there you go. So this is one of my most favourite films. In case you don't know what the word means (I had to look it up), here's the definition:**

******Serendipity** means a "happy accident" or "pleasant surprise"; a fortunate mistake. Specifically, the accident of finding something good or useful while not specifically searching for it. 

**Essentially the film is all about fate... and a couple who will end up together if they're meant to be together. :-) Enjoy!  
**

**Chapter 19: Serendipity.**

Life had settled back into its usual routine... just a slightly more painful version of it than it had been two weeks earlier. Joey had returned to work and while he laughed and joked with both customers and colleagues, if you looked really closely, or if you knew him well, you would know it was all a front. It had been a long seventy-two hours since _that_ morning. He was barely sleeping still but he was getting enough to survive on... just. He was struggling to sleep without her in his arms. How pathetic did that make him, he kept asking himself this over and over. She obviously didn't need him.

*JL*JL*

Lauren walked down the stairs and into the kitchen, having only just dragged herself from her bed at eleven in the morning. Not that she was getting much sleep.

"Do you know what time it is, Lauren?" Her mum said as she stood at the sink. Lauren shrugged, her standard response to any question for the last few days. Although it had to be said that it wasn't an inaccurate answer because she didn't actually know what the time was and nor did she really care. Very little mattered to Lauren at the moment. Tanya watched her eldest daughter, her concern for her had been increasing over the last two days and she was starting to get scared about the changes she could see. Lauren looked tired... actually exhausted would be a better description. Despite the recent holiday when she'd come back tanned and relaxed, there was now tension in her whole frame and she was deathly pale. Tanya could easily see she had lost weight. She had seen how her daughter had been watching her weight for the last few months, unnecessarily in her opinion (not that Lauren would listen to anything she said) but now it was getting much worse and she was beginning to look sick with it. She'd discussed it with Max and they were hoping to speak to her about whatever was the matter later today. Assuming Lauren would even tell them. "I'm going to the salon in a few minutes, sweetheart." She told her. "There's a list of things I need you to get for me today." Lauren froze and turned to look at her mum. She shook her head. Tanya sighed and moved closer to her daughter, "Sweetheart, you haven't been out for days. You need to get some fresh air. I need these bits from the Minute Mart and I won't have time to do it today because I've got clients all afternoon. I'm not asking for you to spend hours doing it... I just need you to go out for fifteen or twenty minutes and get me some bits and pieces. Here's the money for everything."

"Mum..." Lauren whispered and Tanya would swear it was the first thing she'd heard her say in almost three days.

Tanya pulled her into a hug, brushing her hand up and down her back. "Please Lauren... will you just try?" she whispered to her. She felt Lauren nod her head. She released her hold on her, stepping back and looking at Lauren again. She could see what looked like fear in her eyes. "I don't know what it is that's wrong, darling... but it will get better, I promise." She said gently.

*JL*JL*

Lauren took a tentative step out of the house, hugging her coat around her body and hoping no one tried to speak to her at all. It had taken her an hour to psych herself up to get this far. She walked past the pub, seeing the people in the market and feeling self-conscious. She kept her head down, not wanting anyone to notice her presence. Mission accomplished she slipped into the Minute Mart and looked at the list her mum had written. It only took her about ten minutes to find everything that was written down and she was starting to feel a little more confident. She walked up to the till and Denise began to ring through the products. Handing her the money and getting the change back, Lauren grabbed the bag of shopping and turned to leave the shop, smacking into someone as they walked through the door. An all too familiar someone. She looked up and saw his face and began to panic. Lauren backed up two steps, gasping for breath, then she shoved past him and out of the shop, running as fast as she could back to her house.

*JL*JL*

Joey walked into the salon and Tanya saw him, smiling at him, "Joey... don't tell me you've come for a manicure."

"You're alright, Auntie Tanya... I think I'll leave that to you girls." He looked down at the floor, "I came to bring you this..." He held out the bag of shopping he was carrying towards her. "Lauren dropped it in the shop a few minutes ago. I tried to take it around there but she wouldn't answer the door so I thought I'd bring it to you."

"She dropped it?" Tanya asked. Joey nodded. Tanya looked at him and saw the stark similarities in his appearance to that of Lauren. "Have you two had a falling out?" she asked him gently.

"More of a disagreement... I guess." He whispered.

"You'll work it out." Tanya said with a smile. "She just needs time."

"Maybe..." he said. "Do you want this shopping?" he asked.

"Yes." Tanya reached over and took it from him, "Thanks Joey..." She said. He smiled quickly and then left the salon. Tanya watched him leave and she had to wonder what the hell was going on with her daughter and nephew.

*JL*JL*

Tanya entered the house not long after the salon closed. Abi and Oscar were in the lounge. "Where's your sister?"

"Where she usually is," Abi said, rolling her eyes when she saw the questioning look on her mother's face, "In our room... in bed."

"Has she been there all afternoon?"

"I don't know, mum. She's been there ever since I got home with Oscar."

"I'm going to go and speak to her..." Tanya said. She walked up the stairs and pushed open the door to the girls' bedroom. "Lauren?"

"I'm sorry, mum." Lauren whispered.

Tanya sat on the edge of the bed and looked at her daughter. She brushed some of her hair back from her face and wiped away the tears on her face. "Talk to me, sweetheart."

"I can't..." she murmured.

"Is this about your row with Joey?" Tanya asked.

"What?" Lauren said, looking at her in concern.

"He brought the shopping over to the salon... you dropped it in the shop. He told me you'd had a disagreement. He seems as upset about it as you are, darling. Maybe the two of you should talk."

"I don't want to see him, mum." Lauren whispered.

"He's your friend, Lauren. You've been spending a lot of time with him. You won't talk to me or your dad about whatever it is that's going on... maybe you should speak to Joey about it."

"Mum... leave it, please."

"Will you at least think about it?"

"Maybe..." she replied. She glanced up at her mum and saw the small frown on her face. "Okay... I'll definitely think about it." Lauren said.

"That's all I can ask for, Lauren." Tanya stood and kissed Lauren's forehead gently. "I'm going to go and make a start on tea."

*JL*JL*

Lauren lay in her bed and thought through the conversation she'd just had with her mum. She wasn't sure why Joey had told her they'd had a row. When she went downstairs for her tea she was still thinking about all things Joey and she was distracted throughout her meal... that she mainly pushed around her plate. Both her parents watched her in concern. Their concern grew when she went to leave the table and stumbled slightly as she did so. Max caught Lauren's arm and put his arm around her waist to steady her, hating how she flinched when he touched her.

Abi could sense the atmosphere in the rest of her family and excused herself from the room, taking the opportunity to go up to the room she shared with her sister and do some homework.

"Have a seat, Lauren." Tanya said softly. Lauren silently did as they asked but couldn't bring herself to look at her parents. "We need to know what's wrong, sweetheart."

"Nothing's wrong..." she whispered.

"Don't lie to us, Lauren." Her dad said. "It's clear to us that something has upset you and we want to know how we can help you."

"I've just got a lot on my mind..." she said, hoping they would accept that response.

There was little hope of that though. Her parents weren't that stupid. "I told you not to lie to us..." Max growled.

"If you can't talk to us about it... talk to one of your friends." Tanya said softly, her arm reaching for her husband to try and calm him down.

Lauren could feel everything pressurising her and it was making it difficult for her to breathe. She needed some air. She needed some space. What she really needed though was to be in Joey's arms and for him to tell her everything was going to be okay.

"Lauren, we just want to help you..." her dad said softly. He reached towards her and pushed some of her hair back from her face, tucking it behind her ear and it was too much of a reminder of what she'd lost. A sob rattled from her throat and she shoved back her chair. She staggered to her feet, looking at her parents in fear.

Max and Tanya watched as she ran from the room and they heard the front door slam as she fled the house. "You should go after her..." Tanya said, looking at her husband.

"What's the point, Tan? She's not going to speak to us about this... She's just going to keep pushing us away. She needs to work through whatever it is on her own... or with her friends."

*JL*JL*

Lauren sat in the centre of the square, on Arthur's bench. She hugged her coat around her body, trying to shelter from the bitterly cold wind. She was gasping for breath as she sat there... her emotions on the brink of overwhelming her as she tried to keep a lid on everything she was dealing with... or maybe more accurately, not dealing with.

She heard footsteps but kept her head lowered, hoping that whoever it was would leave her alone. It seemed she was having a particularly bad day because the person sat on the other end of the bench from her and she glanced in their direction. It was Joey and Lauren wished he had just kept walking. Like I said, she was having a particularly bad day.

"You okay?" he asked her softly.

"Why does everyone keep asking me that?" she whispered, avoiding his question.

"Because you look like shit, Lauren." He told her.

"Don't try and sugarcoat it, Joe. God, with friends like you... who needs enemies." She muttered. "Oh, sorry I forgot... we're not friends either at the moment..." she added bitterly.

"Don't be like that, Lauren."

"Don't be like what?" she said indignantly. "You said we should give it a few weeks, Joey. Make your mind up, will you?" She got to her feet and began to walk away.

"Why are you being like this, Lauren? You said it was just a bit of fun... that you knew it was only temporary."

"Well I didn't think your ex-girlfriend was going to show up and get back together with you, did I? I can't do this... Just leave me alone, Joey." She glanced at him, seeing him frowning as he looked at her. "Maybe we should make it a permanent thing and not be friends at all..." she whispered, turning and walking quickly away from him quickly.

Joey stared after her, wondering how in the hell it had all gone so wrong. Did she think he had got back together with Debbie?

*JL*JL*

Over the next week Joey and Lauren would keep bumping into each other and each time was more painful than the time before. Both were asking themselves how it kept happening... it wasn't like they were trying to see each other, in fact both were actively trying to avoid it but somehow they always ended up in the same place. A couple of times it had been awkward because there were other people around and they couldn't leave, much as they'd like to. Most of the time though it resulted in a heated, tortuous conversation (or argument) between them and one or the other (or both on one occasion) would storm off.

By the end of the week both were exhausted, as much from the stress of the emotional turmoil they were going through as well as having to deal with the feelings the chance meetings invoked. All of their friends and family had realised there was some problem between the pair and, if asked, all would say they were worried about either, or both, of them but when they tried to intervene, their assistance was pushed away with a short sharp 'butt out'.

The two young adults were unintentionally causing the atmosphere in the square to be gradually brought down as a result of the tension between the two. It was only a matter of time before something had to change but who made the first move would remain to be seen.

TBC

**A/N: Not sure what to say. It was a painful chapter to write...**

**COMING SOON... TO A FAN FIC SITE NEAR YOU... THE LAST KISS... **(this may be subject to change... I think I might need to re-order the next couple of chapters so tomorrow could be a complete surprise!) How exciting!

**Don't read too much into that title... it's not as bad as it sounds! I promise!**


	20. Chapter 20: The Rebound

**Due to some post-production issues (namely a falling out with the director of said film and the director not being happy with the current ending), the release of The Last Kiss has been delayed for a few days... so after a slight re-edit the next chapter in this story is now here. Enjoy?**

**Chapter 20: The Rebound.**

Lauren made the choice to go to R&R's the night after she'd spoken to Joey in the gardens in the square. She needed to try and remember what it was like to have fun... without Joey. So she was going to go there and have a great time, she'd decided. Getting there took a lot more determination than she had thought it would. It wasn't helped by the fact that she knew Joey would be working behind the bar that night. She walked up to the bar and ordered a drink, completely blanking her cousin when he tried to draw her into a conversation. She couldn't let him distract her from her plan. She needed to do this without him being there.

Once she had her drink she sat as far away from the bar as she could get, trying not to spend the time looking at him. She realised, a little late, that this might have been easier if she'd asked her friends to come with her but it was too late now.

Her drink was soon gone and she moved onto the dance floor. The club was busy tonight, there was a big party of guys in, which was just what Lauren needed. She wanted to lose herself and forget everything that had happened. As the evening wore on she got more and more drunk, which had been another part of her plan. Several of the other clubbers were paying attention to her now... one guy in particular had caught her eye.

*JL*JL*

Since seeing her the night before Joey had planned to go and see her in the morning. He wanted to clear the air between them. That plan was blown to pieces when he saw her enter the club that evening. He hadn't expected to see her and when she ignored him as he tried to talk to her it felt like a punch to the gut. He watched her all night... taking in how much she was drinking and seeing her flirting with the lads when she was dancing. It broke his heart. He was so worried about her. He hated seeing her like this. And he couldn't help the jealousy that swelled within him as he watched the guys around her take interest.

An influx of customers appeared in the bar at about midnight and he was run off his feet serving them. Once the bar was clear again his eyes scanned the club, looking for her but she was gone. He finished his shift just an hour later and was soon back at the B&B, getting into bed. He tried not to think about what Lauren might be doing because imagining it was literally going to kill him.

*JL*JL*

In the back of the taxi Lauren was only partially aware of her surroundings and what was happening. She could feel the weight of the arm around her shoulders... but it just didn't feel right. She looked at her companion through bleary eyes, seeing the dark hair which was just a fraction too long. He saw her look at him and leaned down to kiss her but that wasn't the same either and Lauren began to think this might be a bad decision.

The taxi stopped and she was pulled from her seat and out of the cab. She followed behind him blindly, too drunk to take in where she was. Once they were in his flat he was kissing her again and she was only reminded of who it wasn't that was kissing her. He pressed her against the wall and she could easily tell he differed from _him_ in many ways. She pushed him away from her, wiping her hand over her mouth as if she was trying to get rid of the taste of him.

"I think I should go..." she whispered.

"Babe... you can't go yet..." he said softly and his voice was just slightly too high for her liking. He pulled her back against him and his mouth was kissing her neck.

"Really... I want to go..." she said softly, trying to push him away from her.

He stepped back from her, "Why don't we have another drink?" he offered and Lauren automatically nodded her head. Anything rather than kiss him again.

TBC

**A/N: Oops... bit of a cliffhanger... So Lauren's dealing with the situation in the best way she knows how... even though she's making a mistake. Back later...  
**

**COMING SOON... TO A FAN FIC SITE NEAR YOU... COYOTE UGLY.**


	21. Chapter 21: Coyote Ugly

**Difficult reading coming up... Sorry.**

**Chapter 21: Coyote Ugly.**

Lauren opened her eyes, wincing as pain shot through her head. It took a couple of minutes before she could place where she was. Actually it was more a case of working out where she wasn't. She most definitely wasn't in her room. She tried to remember what had happened the night before but there were only flashes of broken images that came back to her. She tried to move from the bed she was in and it was about that time she realised she wasn't alone... which made sense if she wasn't in her room. She turned her head and looked over her shoulder, seeing the random guy with his arm draped over her body. She wished she could say this was the first time this had happened... but unfortunately it wasn't. It was the first time since the arrangement with Joey started though.

As carefully as she could she slid out of the bed, managing to not wake him which was a blessing. She didn't even know his name. So embarrassing! There wasn't one part of her that didn't ache and her heart sank when she realised she was naked. FUCK! She located what she could of her clothes... although her knickers were nowhere to be found and dressed quickly, trying to sneak out of the room without him waking. As she did she caught her appearance in a mirror on the wall and while the shame she saw on her face was clear it was the rest of her appearance that made more of an impact on her.

*JL*JL*

She was marginally more successful in finding the rest of her belongings and then she was out of the flat. It was still dark outside and she had no idea where she was so she began to walk down the street, hoping she'd find somewhere she was more familiar with.

She tried again to remember all of the details from the night before but she couldn't and there was a little part of her that didn't want to remember, knowing it would just make her feel worse. As she found herself back out on a main road she could see a taxi driving down the road and she held her arm out to flag it down.

The driver was reluctant to stop as he was about to finish his shift but when he saw Lauren he agreed and soon he was driving in the direction of Walford... apparently, as Lauren still didn't really know where she was.

She staggered from the cab about forty minutes later, giving the driver all of the money she had and thanking him. She stood outside the building for a couple of minutes, shivering as the cold began to settle in her bones. She took a deep breath and pushed open the door, making her way up the stairs and going into the room.

*JL*JL*

He woke with a start and he realised he wasn't alone. He stared towards the door and knew instantly who was standing there. "Lauren?" he said softly.

"Joe..." she whispered and he could hear tears in her voice.

He turned on a lamp and sat up in the bed. He looked back at her and fire ignited in his blood. He was standing in front of her within seconds. "Who did this to you, babe?" he asked, his hand caressing her bruised face.

Lauren lifted a hand and put it over his mouth, "Please... I don't want to talk... I don't want to remember... I just want my best friend to hold me in his arms and tell me everything is going to be okay." She whispered plaintively.

He couldn't say no to her request and he wrapped his arms around her, brushing his hand up and down her back when he felt her body begin to shake as the tears were finally released. "It's okay, babe." He murmured to her softly. "I've got you. Everything will be okay." He added. He pulled her over to the bed and she willingly followed him. Soon they were lying together, like they had so many times before but, to Joey at least, this time felt different. Lauren was still crying and he wished there was some way he could make her feel better. He glanced down at her as her head lay on his chest and he could see the darkening bruise around her eye and cheek. He felt the anger start to build within him again but he pushed it away, not wanting to upset her further. Now was not a time for recriminations, now was a time for him to be there for his best friend; for the girl he loved.

*JL*JL*

After half an hour Lauren had calmed down. "Do you want to tell me what happened?" he asked her gently. She shook her head. "I didn't even see you leave last night..." he said. "One minute you were there and the next you were gone."

"Joey, please... I told you I don't want to remember what happened."

"Are you telling me you can't remember last night?" he asked as he lifted her chin with his finger so she was looking at him.

"Bits and pieces..." she whispered.

"Do you think you were drugged?" he asked.

"I don't think so... I'm not sure. I was probably just drunk." She admitted.

"Beside the bruises on your face, did he do anything else?" he asked.

"I don't think so..." she repeated, her voice so quiet he had to strain to hear it.

"Should we be going down to the police station?"

"I told you, Joey... I don't remember what happened. I don't even know where I was and I don't know his name. I just want to forget everything that happened and go back to normal... or as normal as my life can be, anyway." She yawned after she finished speaking.

"Get some sleep, babe..." he said softly before pressing his lips against her hair. Despite the awful circumstances it felt good to have her in his arms again.

*JL*JL*

Lauren opened her eyes, wincing as pain shot through her head. It took a couple of minutes before she could place where she was and then she relaxed as she felt Joey's arms around her waist, his hand touching her skin under her top and his body pressed up against hers. Although she tried to stop thinking about it more images from the previous night came back to her and with a startling clarity she remembered what it was that led to the bruises that now marred her face. She pushed back into Joey's body, feeling his hand brush over her skin as his arms tightened around her and she felt her face flush with embarrassment. It had taken just one word from her lips to cause the violence that was inflicted on her. The wrong name being called out at an inopportune moment the reason for so much pain. She felt so silly for making that one mistake... because there was nothing about last night which had reminded her of the times with Joey. Everything, in fact, had been the complete reverse. It had all felt wrong and she'd just wanted it to be over... so she'd closed her eyes and tried to imagine it was Joey she was with and it seemed she'd got a little carried away with her thoughts because before she could stop herself she was crying out his name as she reached her peak (which had much more to do with what she was thinking about than anything to do with what this unknown guy was doing) and it had pissed him off... which she could kind of understand. After all it must be a bit of a blow to the ego if the girl you're fucking calls out someone else's name when she comes.

The whole night came back to her at that point and she began to cry as she relived the blows he'd made to her face. After about three hits she didn't remember anything else until she woke up so she was sure she'd fallen unconscious. Joey's arms tightened around her and he kissed the back of her head.

"It's okay, babe..." he breathed into her hair. "Everything's going to be okay, now. I promise."

TBC

**A/N: So what did you think? Let me know.**

**COMING SOON... TO A FAN FIN SITE NEAR YOU... NO STRINGS ATTACHED...**


	22. Chapter 22: No Strings Attached

**A continuation of the last chapter... Short but sweet. Enjoy!**

**Chapter 22: No Strings Attached.**

"Do you mean that, Joey?" she asked him, a slight tremor in her voice.

"Of course I do."

She moved closer to him and their lips met in a soft kiss, "Make me forget, Joey..." she breathed against his mouth. "Please..."

Joey deepened the kiss, his hand pulling her closer to him. In those first few seconds it was as if the last few weeks hadn't happened. Everything was right between them again, although this time both of them were hiding something. Neither of them was prepared to admit their feelings about what they were doing.

Joey rolled her onto her back, unintentionally repeating the actions of the guy from the night before but Lauren didn't care... all she could think about now was this moment. Joey removed her clothes as she lay beneath him, wincing slightly when he saw she had no knickers on. They both held their breath as he pushed his length into her. Time seemed to stand still as they took a moment to savour being together again.

Lauren moaned as he began to move and he smiled at her. He had missed this so much. They kissed again and the passion quickly built between them as they made love. Neither was eager for this to end, they both wanted to show how much they loved the other in the only way they could without verbally saying it. Joey reached up and tucked her hair behind her ear, his movements increasing in speed slightly. Their kisses grew sloppy as they both edged closer to their respective peaks.

"Lauren... I've missed you so much." He breathed into her ear before burying his face in her neck, the tension building within him. He began to pulse inside her and Lauren's arms clung to him, her body starting to tighten on him. Soon she was coming too and she whispered his name over and over, kissing his jaw.

*JL*JL*

Lauren lay in his arms, watching Joey as he slept. There was a part of her that regretted what had just happened between them. This wasn't changing things between them... this was going backwards. She wanted more and Joey didn't, it was as simple as that. In her heart she knew that... he was with Debbie now and she shouldn't have come to him. It was wrong of her to turn to him for this form of comfort. She hated herself for what she had done and what she was about to do. For the second time that morning she slipped out of bed without waking the other person. She redressed and crept out of the B&B, walking back to her house and going to hideout in her room. Maybe if she went to sleep she'd wake up and find this was all a dream; one big horrible dream.

TBC

**A/N: Oh dear... and it seemed like everything was okay. I wonder how Joey will react to this. Naughty Lauren for using Joey like that...  
**

**COMING SOON... TO A FAN FIC SITE NEAR YOU... THE LAST KISS** (all issues with the director have been resolved and the ending is fixed).


	23. Chapter 23: The Last Kiss

**Several people have asked if this is the last chapter of this story... well it isn't - there's still more to this story. So, just one chapter today... but it's longer than the last few so I hope you like it. Now I really struggled to write this chapter... not helped by the fact I haven't seen the film but I think I've got it right now... I hope.**

**I also hope to post a one-shot later today... something completely different and a bit lighter (I hope - I haven't finished it yet!). Enjoy!**

**Chapter 23: The Last Kiss.**

Joey had taken a couple of days off from work and he was going to go and see his mum. He needed some time away from the square. It hurt to wake up and find Lauren had left him again the morning after she'd come to him. He couldn't understand what had gone wrong. He thought everything was okay between them once more. So he turned up on his mum's doorstep where he was met with a hug and a look of concern... that made him roll his eyes.

"Tell me what's wrong, Joey?" his mother asked in concern almost as soon as he walked through the door.

"There's nothing wrong." He replied automatically.

"Joseph Branning, I gave birth to you almost twenty three years ago. I've watched you grow up. I probably know a lot more about you than either of us would like to admit. I'm your mum, I know there is something wrong... so tell me what it is..."

Joey stared at his mum, surprised by what she'd just said. "I've made a mistake, mum..." he told her softly.

"Talk to me, Joe." She said, moving to sit beside him on the couch. She grasped his hand in both of hers and squeezed it gently, seeing her son start to shatter in front of her and growing more concerned as she watched him.

He spent the next half an hour explaining everything that had happened to his mum, seeing the look of sympathy appear on her face the further through his story he got. "What do I do, mum? I really love her... it hurts to not be with her anymore. I thought things were okay between us again the other night but then she was gone when I woke up... and I've barely seen her since. I just don't know what's going on anymore."

"I'm not sure I understand why you didn't realise something like this would happen in the first place, Joe... but I think the first thing you need to ask yourself is a couple of questions."

Ignoring her initial statement he just responded to the second part, "Which are?"

"Do you want a proper relationship with her?" she said. Joey nodded before she'd even finished asking the question and she smiled, a little surprised by how much her son seemed to have grown up since he'd moved to Walford. "Okay... now, how do you think she feels about you?"

His demeanour faltered slightly after she asked that question, "I've no idea, mum. I thought she liked me too... but then she said it was just a bit of fun and I don't know anymore. It's even more confusing after the other night."

"From what you've said, I think Lauren's feelings are much stronger than just friendship but she may not realise it." She told her son softly, seeing relief and surprise wash over his face.

"You think so?" He could barely keep the hope out of his voice.

"I do, Joe. I think you should take a couple of days and really think it all through. Some distance from her might make it easier for you to look at it objectively. Once you've cleared your head you should go back and if it's still what you want, you need to fight for it, Joey."

"What if I do that and I make a fool of myself?" he whispered.

"Isn't it better to do that and take the risk rather than living like you've been doing for the last couple of weeks? If it isn't what she wants, at least you'd know. And if that is the case, then you can reassess what you do next after that."

Joey looked at his mum, seeing the compassion on her face. "Thanks mum." He said softly.

She pulled him into a hug, kissing him gently. "It's what I'm here for, Joe." She tells him, "Never think you can't speak to me about anything, darling." She adds, "I'll listen to any of your problems."

"I love you, mum. I don't think I tell you that enough."

"I love you too, baby." She smiled at her son, "Now are you going to tell me how your sister is? She's not letting your dad run her life, is she?" she asked, her concerns shifting to her other child briefly.

"She's fine, mum. Has she told you she's dating someone?"

"No... Is he good enough for her?" She asked him quickly. Joey smiled and nodded before telling her everything else that had been happening in Walford.

*JL*JL*

Lauren was gradually going from bad to worse. She'd now had an argument with Alice, who'd accused her of chasing Joey away from the square, although his sister hadn't realised how close to the truth that was. This resulted in a drinking session in the Vic for the sad brunette, leading to one hell of a hangover the next morning and several arguments with her parents, her sister and her two friends. Many questions had been asked about the bruises that marked her face that morning when she'd eventually got up but she was unable and unwilling to answer any of them. She was starting to feel so isolated from everyone. Her weight was continuing to plummet as she struggled to cope with everything her life was throwing at her. She had so little energy anymore, her previously comfortable clothes now swamped her body or hung on her so loosely she couldn't wear them. The weather has turned cold over the last few days but however much she bundled up tight, she couldn't get warm. Maybe it had something to do with the personal heater she'd just relinquished. Joey had seemed to be hot, in every sense of the word. It was just another reason she missed him. There were many reasons much higher on the list but it was there none the less.

Lauren sat in the pub again. She was on her own, as usual. If she'd thought her friends ignored her before, it was even worse now... although at least this time she was partially to blame. No one wanted to be around her anymore. And Lauren couldn't really blame them. She wished she could get away from herself at times too.

"Is this seat taken?"

The voice startled her and she looked up into the warm face of her uncle. She shook her head and he sat down, looking at her in concern. "You probably shouldn't sit with me, Uncle Jack." Lauren said, somewhat bitterly, "I'll only bring your mood down to my level."

"Do you want to talk about it?" he offered. She couldn't help but notice how his eyes were fixed on her bruises and it made her all the more self conscious.

"Nope." She said firmly, taking a large mouthful of her drink and trying to avoid his gaze.

"Do you know how worried your parents are about you, Lauren? How worried we all are about you," he asked her gently. Lauren rolled her eyes and drank some more from her glass, slamming it back on the table. Jack reached across the table and placed his hand on her wrist, stopping her from lifting the glass anymore. "You need to sort this out, darling. You can't keep on like this... you're wasting away before our eyes. Whatever it is that's bothering you will kill you at this rate and that's the last thing any of us want."

"I'm fine..." she whispered.

"Say that again and mean it this time." He said pointedly.

"What do you want me to say, Uncle Jack?" She asked him, her eyes filling with tears as she looked at him. She was already upset and as she began to talk her breathing quickened and she began to unravel before him, "Do you want me to tell you that my life is going down the toilet? That I'm miserable and I can't see how I'm ever going to be happy again? How about that it takes all the energy I have to get out of bed every morning. And once I do... all I want to do is go back to bed and hide from the world." Tears were streaming down her face and Jack wanted to take her in his arms and hold her but he knew she hadn't nearly finished yet. She took a deep breath and started again, "I can't eat because when I do I just want to bring it back up again. It takes me hours to get to sleep every night and when I do, it's only for a few minutes. I'm exhausted all the time. Do you think I don't see the worried looks on mum and dad's faces? I know they're worried about me... but I can't get past this... I don't know how to. Everything is just a mess, Uncle Jack."

"Come here..." he said softly, seeing the barriers his niece normally kept so secure crumbling rapidly. He reached out towards her and pulled her over to him, hugging her tightly as she began to cry into his chest. He saw his brother and sister-in-law walk into the bar and stare at them both. They started to walk over to them and he shook his head slightly, knowing that if there was any chance of Lauren opening up to him and beginning the process of getting better, her parents couldn't be anywhere near at the time. He kissed the top of Lauren's head, brushing his hand up and down her back as she continued to cry. It was a long time before she stopped but it didn't take too long for Jack to realise she'd cried herself to sleep. He looked at her face closer and saw the strain around her eyes, evident even through the bruises and the sight broke his heart. What the hell had happened to her?

"Did she say anything?" Max asked quietly as he finally walked over.

"Not a great deal... I'm sure I can get her to talk to me, Max, I know it." He looked down at his niece again. "Not tonight though... she needs to get some rest."

"She's always in bed." Max said.

"She may be but she told me she isn't sleeping. Would it be okay if I take her back to mine? Maybe a change of scenery will be better for her."

"Sure. Do you want a hand getting her there?" Her father asked.

"Yeah." Jack lifted Lauren onto his lap and then into his arms as he pushed himself to his feet. She was noticeable lighter now and it just added to the worry he couldn't mask.

"I'll bring some things over for her in a few minutes." Max said as he held the door to the pub open for his younger brother.

"Thanks Max." They were quiet as they walked over to his flat and Max opened the door for him so he could carry her into the flat. He walked directly through to his bedroom and laid her gently on the bed. He covered her with a blanket and kissed her forehead softly. He was back in the kitchen moments later and found his brother waiting for him.

"What did she say?" Max asked.

"Not much... she was rambling really. She said she's miserable and can't see how she'll ever be happy again. She just wants to hide herself from the world. She can't eat or sleep and she's exhausted. I don't know what has caused this Max but she needs help."

"Are you okay with her staying here tonight then?" he asked as he wiped his hand down his face.

"Of course. I'll try and get her to talk to me in the morning but I'm not going to force her, Max. She needs to tell us of her own free will."

"I know... I just wish I knew what it was that caused this. She seemed so happy when she went on holiday with her friends..."

*JL*JL*

Lauren opened her eyes and found herself in different surroundings to normal, although she did recognise them. She was in Uncle Jack's bedroom... on his bed to be exact. She could tell she'd, surprisingly, been asleep for a while as it was now dark outside. Her sleep, while long, had been plagued by memories. Painful memories too... she had dreamt of the last time her and Joey had had sex during the arrangement. It had been on the morning they flew back from Spain. As had happened every day they were away they awoke in bed together. On this morning they had been in Joey's room. Joey was holding her tightly in his arms and Lauren remembered thinking how everything had seemed so perfect, which seemed ironic now with all that happened since. She woke to him kissing her neck and gradually working down her body until he was at her clit. He had spent many minutes there, working her with his mouth while his fingers had teased her opening. Lauren had been practically squirming on the bed and if it wasn't for the fact she had to be quiet, he would've made her scream many times. Eventually he had begun to climb her body again until he reached her mouth. As he'd kissed her he had eased his length into her, so tenderly it had brought tears to her eyes. Their lovemaking had been slow but filled with passion and desire and it had led to more than one intense orgasm for Lauren. She had seen the look on his face as his peak struck and at the time she had thought she'd seen an emotion there that made her suspect he might have stronger feelings for her too; much like she had for him but she was scared to even give her own feelings a thought, let alone speak to him about how he felt about her.

Lauren turned on the bed and hugged the blanket around her, trying to get warm. She hoped she could get some more sleep but after an hour she knew it wasn't going to happen. She wondered if she would be able to sneak out of the flat without her uncle noticing. It would be difficult because he must be sleeping in the lounge but it was worth a try. She sat up and then went to stand, swaying slightly as her body protested her moving. She moved to the door and opened it quietly, creeping across the room until she was near the door to the kitchen.

"Where do you think you're going?" his voice said in the dark and Lauren froze.

"Home..." she whispered.

"Not at this time of night, you aren't. It's the middle of the night, Lauren."

"I can't sleep..." she said, still facing towards the door but shifting from one foot to the other, unable to keep still.

"Come here, darling." He beckoned her over. She stood where she was, not sure she'd be able to resist telling him everything if she was to do as he asked. She was distracted in those few seconds so he stood and walked over to her. His arms wrapped around her shoulders and he pulled her against his body, brushing his hand up and down her back. "Please tell me what this is all about, Lauren. I can't help you if you won't tell me."

"I can't..." she whispered.

"Why not..."

"You'll hate me if I tell you." She sobbed. The last thing she wanted was for her uncle to hate her.

"Nothing you could do would make me hate you, babe. You're my favourite niece..." he told her softly.

The room was silent for several minutes and Jack let her think over what he'd just said. "I've been sleeping with Joey..." she whispered into his T-shirt. "And now I'm in love with him but we've ended it because he's got back together with his ex."

The room was silent as Jack took in what she'd just said. He could feel the tension in her body as she waited for him to say something. "Let's sit down and you can tell me how this happened." He said, completely flummoxed by what she'd just said. He took her hand in his and pulled her over to the couch. Lauren now saw that he'd been sitting on it when she sneaked out of his room. He knew she would try and escape. "So how did this thing with Joey start?" he asked her softly, knowing he was going to have to prompt her to speak.

"We were both lonely, I guess. It started off as a friends with benefits thing." She looked down at her lap, slightly uncomfortable talking about this to her uncle. "I was at the club talking to him as he worked. The others were all wrapped up with their relationships and Joe and I got talking about everything. He asked why I wasn't trying to pick someone up from at the club." She flicked her eyes up to her uncle's face, her eyes having now adjusted to the dark room so she could see him better. "Long story short, I said I didn't want a heavy relationship but I didn't want a one-night stand either. The next day we were talking again and he admitted the same thing. He'd suggested a friends with benefits deal when he walked me home from the club but I'd said my options were pretty limited. He said he'd be prepared to... do it. We talked it through, agreed some rules... and it started from there."

"When was this?"

"Towards the beginning of August." She whispered.

"And the arrangement was working for you?"

"Yeah... I liked it. He's my best friend, Uncle Jack. Well, he was anyway... I'm not so sure now." A couple of tears fell down her face and she wiped them away furiously.

"But you hardly knew him when this started..."

"It wasn't just sex..." she said, glancing up at his face but looking down quickly. "We really got to know each other. Our friendship evolved the more time we spent together. I knew that whatever day it was, or whatever time of day Joey would be there for me. There aren't many people I can say that about."

"When did your feelings for him change from be purely platonic?" Jack asked her softly.

"I'm not sure... I think it built slowly. I didn't even realise I felt that way until after we got back from Spain and by then it was too late..."

"Why?"

"I told you... he got back together with his ex..."

"No, he didn't." He told her.

"Yes, he did. I saw it. She arrived in the square when we came back from Spain and they were together every time I saw them after that."

"She was only here for a couple of days, Lauren."

"Huh?" Lauren looked at her uncle, confusion clear on her face.

"He told her to leave not long after you got home from Spain... she was probably only here for two or three days."

"Why didn't he tell me?"

"I'm not sure... when did you speak to him?"

"We've only really talked once... when we ended the arrangement... Since then we've just sniped at each other... and then there was the other night..." her last few words were whispered.

"Was that when you got the bruises?" he asked softly.

She nodded, "I went home with someone from the club... there are gaps to my memories from that night but I know I may have said the wrong name at the wrong time and he didn't like it."

"He hit you?" he said, tensing as he pulled her closer. The thought of someone hurting his niece turned his stomach. She nodded against his chest.

"It was my fault though..." she whispered.

"No one should ever hit a woman... regardless of what she did. You should speak to the police, darling."

"I can't..." she told him, "I don't remember what his name was and I don't know where he lived... I didn't even know where I was when I snuck out of his flat."

"Your dad said you didn't come home until about 8 in the morning..."

"I went to Joey..." she whispered.

Jack's eyebrows rose in shock, given what she'd already said to him about what had happened since their return from Spain, this hadn't been what he was expecting. "Even though you thought he was with Debbie?" he asked.

"I needed my best friend..." she said, a stray tear falling down her face.

"What happened?" he asked.

He watched as her face reddened, "We had sex again... when I woke up in the morning I felt awful because I knew it was a mistake... so I left the B&B while he was still asleep..."

He fell quiet again. He tried to think through everything she'd told him. "So you've been miserable ever since you got back from Spain because you want more with Joey?"

"I love him... I want a proper relationship with him... but he doesn't want me."

Jack hugged her tightly against his chest, "I don't know if you're right, Lauren. You've not seen Joey in the last couple of days, have you?"

"Not since that night... I didn't know what to say to him and I felt bad for using him," she whispered.

"He's about as unhappy as you are, darling. Sharon's told me that there's been something wrong with him for a while but none of us knew what it was... until you just told me everything. He asked Sharon for some time off work and left the square for a few days to go and see his mum. I think his feelings for you are more serious than friendship too. You really need to speak to him."

"I'm scared he'll reject me..."

"I don't think you need to be, sweetheart. I think he loves you just as much as you love him."

"You really think so?" She couldn't keep the hope out of her voice when she asked that question.

"I do..." he held her tighter again and kissed the top of her head. He could feel the tension leaving her as she absorbed his words.

"Please don't tell mum and dad... They'll go mental if they find out what I've been doing..." she asked him softly.

"If you start a proper relationship with him, you won't be able to keep it a secret from them forever, darling."

"I know... I just need to sort out what's going on first. We'll tell them, if we do get together." She whispered.

"Okay. And you can talk to me if you ever need to. I'm here for you, Lauren."

"Thanks Uncle Jack."

*JL*JL*

Joey was lying in his bed. He was planning on heading back to Walford tomorrow. He had spent the time he was at his mum's thinking everything through, like she'd advised. He had thought about every encounter with his cousin, trying to ascertain how he really felt about her. He'd also tried to work out just when it was that his feelings for her had changed. He had come to the stark realisation that his feelings may have always been there; ever since the first time they'd had sex. And it hadn't just been the sex... it was everything. Kissing her, holding her, touching her. Every second had enticed him in. He knew that now... he knew what he wanted and he was going to fight for it. For her.

The weekend in Spain with Lauren had been when he'd admitted to himself how he felt about his cousin. So many times over those few days he'd nearly let slip those three little words but each time he'd managed to hold it back, scared he would push her too far. The whole weekend had been illuminating to him, where he'd finally allowed himself the chance to really enjoy their arrangement... but his thoughts were now caught on the Monday morning. He'd woken her from her sleep with tender kisses down her neck. His hand had been brushing over her skin, so softly he wasn't even sure she had noticed. Then as he kissed down her body he could sense the arousal in her increasing as he gradually descended down her body. He worshipped her lower body, as he had done many times before, but this time seemed to hold more significance for him. He allowed himself to enjoy it more and he could certainly tell that Lauren had enjoyed it as well. He had made love to her that morning, as tenderly as he could. He had wanted to savour the moment with her, little realising that could have potentially been their last time together. He couldn't even bring himself to think about the other morning when she'd appeared in his room. While, technically, that was the last time they'd been together, the fact she hadn't been there when he woke up the following morning had tainted it for him. He refused to think of that time as the last time he'd made love to her. He'd woken up that morning, thinking everything was fixed between them and all he found was that he was alone in bed. It was like his worst nightmare.

Joey hoped to hell neither of those times was the last time. He wanted more with her. He wanted her. He needed her. He was going to fight for her. He was going to win her back.

TBC

**A/N: So Joey's going to fight for their relationship... Yay! Lauren pouring her heart out to her uncle was hard going though - especially her breakdown in the pub. Wonder what will happen next...**

**COMING SOON... TO A FAN FIC SITE NEAR YOU... THE NOTEBOOK...** the film that made me cry for 20 minutes after it ended the first time I watched it... Does that bode well for this story... not sure.


	24. Chapter 24: The Notebook

**So I hope this chapter isn't a let down... It's only a small chapter, although quite important for the rest of the story. I'll reply to reviews shortly for the last chapter. I want to post this now before it gets too late... Enjoy!  
**

**Oh and I posted a one-shot yesterday. It's called The First Time... I'd love to hear your thoughts (if you haven't already).**

**Chapter 24: The Notebook.**

Joey returned to Walford with barely any fanfare. Few people even noticed his return, although there were probably some who never even realised he'd left. He knew he needed to speak to Lauren but there was one very large part of him that was petrified of doing so. Any resolve he'd found while staying with his mum had disappeared when he saw her from his bedroom window that morning. She seemed happy and yet he felt miserable. He doubted every thought he'd had in the few days he was away from the square. He needed to try and understand Lauren better. At the moment it was as if he had just arrived in the square and he was seeing a complete stranger. It was time to take drastic measures.

Being his father's son did have some benefits... namely the fact many unsavoury characters had been around the house when he was a small child. He had been very young when he'd learnt how to pick a lock. It was something he'd never used; he was determined to not become his father but today was going to be the first time he would utilise that knowledge.

He sat in the middle of the square on a cold December morning, watching the house to check and ensure that everyone was out. In his heart he knew this was the wrong thing to do but he needed to find out more about what she was thinking and how she felt. He was a desperate man and desperation can push anyone past their limits.

So far he'd seen his aunt, uncle and Oscar leave the house. Anytime now he expected Abi to leave, knowing she had college. That would just leave Lauren in the house. He was right, the door opened some ten minutes later and Abi walked out, closely followed by Lauren. Joey smiled to himself as he watched Lauren walk down the road with her sister. From where he was sitting he saw her walk into the cafe so he knew she would probably be there a while. She still looked stunning, even with the faint bruises on her face. He wondered what she'd told her family about those.

He sat where he was for a few minutes then got to his feet and walking towards number 5. He glanced around before walking around the back of the house. It only took a couple of minutes for him to get past the lock and into the house. He was breathing fast, the adrenaline pumping through him as he paused in the kitchen.

Stealthily he walked through the house and up the stairs, quickly locating her bedroom. He pushed open the door and looked around her side of the room. He saw her bed wasn't made and her half was generally a mess. He looked around the room, trying to spot anything that might give him a clue about its owner. He walked over to her desk and rifled through the mess on top of it. There didn't seem to be anything of particular interest. He sighed and walked over to her bed, sitting on it and resting his head on his hands as he tried to clear his mind and work out what to do next.

Joey noticed something sticking out from under her bed and leant down to pick it up. He instantly knew it was important to her because she had tried to hide it from plain sight. He opened the first page and realised what he was holding. It was a sketchpad and on that first page was a beautiful drawing of Abi. The next few pages were all filled with pictures of various members of her family and her friends. About six or seven pages in he turned the page and got one hell of a shock. There on the page was his face in perfect detail. The care and attention she'd taken took his breath away. Reluctantly he turned the page and found another picture of him. He was smiling in this one and again he could see how she had perfected it on the paper. Page after page of pictures of him were revealed and he finally began to suspect her feelings for him were stronger than she'd let on... although this just made him more unsure why she'd run away from him the other morning. Had he not shown her how much he loved her? Yes, okay he hadn't actually told her but surely she must realise from the way he held her in his arms, the way he kissed her and even more importantly the way he made love to her?

TBC

**A/N: So what did you think? Back tomorrow...**

**COMING SOON... TO A FAN FIC SITE NEAR YOU... LOVE ACTUALLY.**


	25. Chapter 25: Love Actually

**So once I'd chosen the movie theme for each chapter, I quickly knew I wanted to do this film... and I've stayed pretty close to one part of the film... just my version of it. Enjoy!**

**Chapter 25: Love Actually.**

It was time to change the path they were on. It was ten days before Christmas and Joey had been thinking about this for several days now. Ever since he'd seen the drawings she'd done of him. His original plan when he came back from his mum's was to fight for her and so far he hadn't had the opportunity... he'd even nearly backed out of doing so completely. Now was the time to make a stand. He needed to make a big gesture. He couldn't live with being apart from Lauren any longer. It had already been too long and he didn't want it to be any longer. He missed her. He missed his best friend. He missed the girl he loved.

He had thought long and hard about how he was going to do this. He wanted to show her how much she meant to him. He had thought through everything she had ever told him and so he was going to take inspiration from one of her favourite films. Joey had even rented the DVD – which let me tell would do little for his street cred if anyone ever found out – but he had watched it, having never seen it before.

He watched it a second time and inspiration struck. He knew it was going to take some doing to pull it off but he lived in hope of it happening. Braving the increasingly wintry weather he went out; he had some things he needed to get in order to be ready but tonight was the night.

*JL*JL*

Joey was sitting in the Vic, hoping that things were going to fall into place and enable him to do this. He was ready but he couldn't do this if there was any chance of Lauren not being home alone. He glanced up as the door opened and in walked his aunt and uncle. They walked over to the bar and greeted Uncle Jack who was waiting for them. Joey hadn't failed to notice how his uncle had been intently watching him. He wondered what all that was about. He shrugged it off... it didn't really matter. He was now one step closer to a green light for his plan.

*JL*JL*

Half an hour later he had no idea whether he was going to be able to do this. He glanced around the pub and saw Jay sitting across the bar with Dexter. This meant there was a pretty high chance of Abi being at home with Lauren. He sighed... it was too late now. He had to do this tonight. He didn't want to leave it any longer. He couldn't. He needed to know, for definite, how she felt. And he needed her to know how he felt.

He finished the rest of his beer and decided it was now or never. He stood and walked out of the pub, shivering as he walked outside. It was bitterly cold... it was even snowing. He hoped Lauren appreciated what he was about to do. He ran back to the B&B and got together what he needed.

He ran through everything one more time, both mentally and literally. He took a deep breath and picked up what he needed. He hoped this worked, that this proved to Lauren how much she meant to him.

*JL*JL*

He rang the doorbell and hoped it was Lauren that answered.

His prayers were answered and when the door opened there she was. It threw him for a few seconds. Remembering what he was doing he put his finger to his lips, hoping she'd realise he wanted her to say nothing. She looked at him quizzically. He could see she was intrigued.

He picked up one of the cards he was holding and turned it towards her.

**_ARE YOU ALONE?_**

She shook her head. "Abi's upstairs..." she whispered. He nodded. He held up the next card.

**_I WANTED TO SHOW YOU HOW MUCH YOU MEAN TO ME._**

The card fell to the floor and the next was revealed.

**_YOU ARE MY BEST FRIEND. THE BEST FRIEND I COULD HAVE OR WANT._**

It fell to the floor, landing on top of its predecessor.

_**BUT YOU ALSO MEAN SO MUCH MORE THAN THAT.**_

Again it was dropped to reveal.

**_I KNOW THINGS FOR US WOULD BE COMPLICATED._**

That card was pulled aside quickly before she could think about moving from where she stood.

**_I KNOW THIS ALL STARTED AS AN ARRANGEMENT BETWEEN US... TO SATISFY OUR NEEDS._**

He watched her face and saw her reading the card then glancing at the floor. Two cards followed in quick succession.

**_BUT THAT CHANGED FOR ME PRETTY QUICKLY. TO ME, YOU ARE PERFECT, LAUREN BRANNING._**

**_I WANT MORE. YOU ARE THE ONLY GIRL FOR ME. I LOVE YOU AND I WANT US TO BE TOGETHER._**

He'd held his breath with those last two cards. He wished he could tell what she was thinking. He had just two cards left and the next one was probably one of the most important ones. He slowly released his breath and pulled the front card away.

**_FOR REAL. I LOVE YOU MORE THAN I HAVE EVER LOVED ANYONE. PLEASE SAY YES._**

Her eyes rose and met his and he could see the tears in them. It gave him no clues at all. He took that card away and showed her the last one.

**_OH AND MERRY CHRISTMAS._**

He had done everything he could to convince her. He bent down and picked up all the cards and began to walk back down the stairs and across the square, back towards the B&B. It felt like there was a fist clenching around his heart. He had really thought that would work. He thought his plan was guaranteed to make her understand.

He stopped walking when he heard muffled footsteps behind him. The snow had really begun to fall heavily now. A hand slipped into his, squeezing his fingers slightly and he looked back over his shoulder. She was standing there, now wearing a coat and hat, her long hair blowing all over the place as the wind whipped around them. She had never looked more beautiful. He said nothing. He had made the first move but it was most definitely her turn now.

Lauren tugged on his hand and Joey turned to face her. She stepped closer and rose on her tiptoes, softly pressing her lips to his. As soon as their lips touched Joey moaned, his arms wrapping around her and pulling her against him. He had missed her so much. Her arms were around his neck now and when their mouths finally separated she had a gentle smile on her face. "Thank you..." she whispered.

"What for?" he asked.

"What you just did... It meant a lot."

"And..."

"I need to think about it tonight." He froze. He hadn't anticipated her rejecting him. He'd really thought she would say yes. She saw the look on his face and her hand brushed his cheek. "It's not a no, Joe. It's just not a yes either. I need to make sure we aren't about to make a huge mistake, I don't want this to spoil our friendship. It's already come so close to doing that. I'll come over and see you in the morning." She said softly. "I'll bring breakfast with me."

"I'll be waiting for you, babe." He whispered. "Always..." he added. She kissed him softly on the lips again before pulling herself from his arms and running back to her house. He watched her leave him but this time he was filled with hope.

TBC

**A/N: Okay, so I know they're not back together but Lauren now knows that he wants to be with her. She just wants to make sure she's not making a mistake. I'm sure everything will be sorted in the next chapter...**

**COMING SOON... TO A FAN FIC SITE NEAR YOU... FORCES OF NATURE...**


	26. Chapter 26: Forces of Nature

**So I wonder what Lauren's decision will be...? Enjoy!**

**Chapter 26: Forces of Nature.**

Lauren was sitting glumly in the kitchen with her family two days after Joey's revelation. Much as she would've liked to go and see him the next morning she'd been unable to leave the house due to the snow storm that had become stuck over the whole of the south east of Britain ever since. The snow had come down so thickly you literally hadn't been able to see more than a couple of inches in front of your face. Lauren really would've liked to go over and see him but the whole family had been stuck in the house, much like the rest of the square so she'd only been able to speak to him on the phone.

Today was the first time that the snow had stopped so Lauren was going to go over and see him as soon as she could. She'd been texting him over the last couple of days and she knew he was at the B&B this morning. He'd said he would be when she spoke to him last night. He was waiting for her to arrive. There had been a forbidden subject between the pair since that night. Much as she'd wanted to tell him in the conversations they'd had, both verbal and in text form, she knew she needed to do this in person. She also knew he was dying to know what her answer was but he hadn't asked her.

The back door of the house opened and Uncle Jack walked in, shutting the door quickly to stop the bitter wind getting into the house. He stared at her intently before turning to her dad. "Everyone's gathering in the square... there's a problem."

"What sort of problem?" Her dad asked.

"There's been some damage from the snow... everyone's gathering to see if there is anything we can do to help."

"What's been damaged?" Tanya asked.

"The B&B..." Jack said softly, his eyes locked on Lauren.

Lauren was on her feet in an instant and she ran for the front door, grabbing her hat and coat as she stepped into her boots.

"Lauren!" Her dad called after her.

She pulled open the door, wincing as the wind hit her in the face. She moved carefully down the stairs and when she was on the street her eyes were fixed on the B&B... or rather what remained of the B&B. She was frozen to the spot as she saw where the roof had collapsed beneath the weight of snow. A tree had also been blown over, crashing through a window at the front of the building. A window Lauren had looked out of many times; the window of Joey's room. From what she could see the only part of the B&B that had received any damage was the room her cousin was staying in.

"Babe?" Her dad said, as he came to stand at her side.

"That's Joey's room..." she whispered.

"You don't know he was in there..."

"I do... I spoke to him last night. He wasn't going out until lunch time and he was staying in his room because he had a shift at R&R's tonight so he wanted to get some sleep." Lauren began to walk towards the crowd of people but it soon turned into a run, her need to make sure Joey was okay pushing her forward.

*JL*JL*

Her father and uncle stood either side of her. "Should we call Derek?" Max asked.

"I think we know Joey wouldn't want his father here..." Jack replied. Derek and Alice had gone away at the weekend and weren't due back until Christmas Eve.

"But Alice..." Max said.

"When are the fire brigade and ambulance getting here?" Lauren interrupted.

"They're going to take a while, sweetheart." Max told her, "Because of the snow they're having problems getting through. They'll get here as soon as they can, babe."

"We should be doing something... not just standing here." Lauren said. "There are enough of us here to try and get to him."

"We should wait for the professionals."

"He could be injured, dad." Lauren said. She started walking towards the entrance to the B&B but her dad pulled her back, "Let go of me!" She cried out, trying to shake off his arm.

"Lauren... it's dangerous."

"Dad, Joey's in there..." she said, turning to her father and looking at him, trying to plead with him to agree with her.

Max sighed. He could never refuse her when she looked at him like that. "Okay... but let me and your uncle do this, alright?" he told her. "You stay here with your mum and aunt." He pushed her in the direction of Tanya and then turned to his brother. "Come on then."

*JL*JL*

Lauren stood tensely watching after her dad and uncle entered the building. Several of the other residents of the square had also gone in there with them to help. Lauren's heart was racing as she waited for them to bring him out. Her aunt and mum were standing with her but, despite their best efforts, neither of them could offer her any comfort.

Sirens in the distance began to get closer and Lauren turned her head, seeing the ambulance and fire engine stopping on Bridge Street. People from each vehicle jogged over to the crowd. Just as they pushed their way through the crowd there was a grumble from the building and then more bits of the roof were falling. People began to talk louder, a couple of the shrieked. Denise and Kim were both being comforted by Patrick as they all watched the disaster unfold. Lauren watched in horror.

The firemen entered the building and soon her dad and the others had been ushered back out of the building, to be replaced by the paramedics. Max and Jack made their way over to where she stood. Both were covered in dust and dirt. "Did you find him?" she asked softly, her eyes fixed on the B&B, hoping for something that would make her feel better.

"No, babe. The ceiling has caved in near the doorway so it's difficult to get into the room." Her dad said.

Jack put his arm around his niece, knowing how much this would be killing her. "He's going to be okay, right?" she asked.

"You've got to think positively, darling." Jack said, squeezing her slightly.

*JL*JL*

A kerfuffle started near the front of the building sometime later and the family looked towards it quickly. Lauren heaved a sigh of relief as she saw a stretcher be wheeled out of the door. Joey was on it with a mask over his mouth. "Joey..." she whispered, pulling herself from her uncle's arms and running towards her cousin. "Is he okay?" she asked one of the paramedics.

"Who are you?"

"He's my cousin..." she whispered, staring at Joey's face. His eyes were shut and she was worried there was something really wrong with him.

"He'll need to be checked out at the hospital but he should be okay."

They pushed the stretcher towards the ambulance and Lauren trailed after them. "Can I come with you?"

"You're family so it should be fine." One paramedic said with a smile. She sighed in relief as she clambered into the ambulance and sat next to the stretcher. Soon the vehicle was moving slowly along the road towards the hospital.

"Why is he unconscious?" Lauren asked softly.

"He was trapped under some rubble and when the firemen pulled him free from it, his shoulder dislocated and he passed out. It was the only way of getting him out. They had to move quickly because it was very unstable up there and there was a chance the roof could collapse completely."

"Does he have any other injuries?"

"I'm pretty sure his collar bone is broken and there may be a fracture to his arm. He's actually very lucky. After seeing the mess of the room, it definitely could've been a lot worse." He began to busy himself with checking Joey's vitals and strapping his left arm to his chest to keep it secure.

Lauren didn't know what to do. She felt so useless. There wasn't any way she could help him. She reached for the hand nearest her, thankful it wasn't the arm that was injured and clasped it between hers. She bowed her head and rested it against their hands. "Thank you..." she whispered to a God she hadn't really believed in until now.

*JL*JL*

Lauren was let into the room to see him almost an hour later. She was still on her own and she assumed the rest of the family was having problems getting there due to the roads being treacherous because of the snow and ice. She opened the door to the room and could see him lying on the bed. She moved to his side quickly. It was only the two of them in the room so she bent down and kissed him on the lips softly.

She stood next to his bed, holding his hand and staring at his face for some time. Her hand lifted and she brushed her fingers through the front of his hair, lingering slightly longer than necessary. If her decision hadn't already been made, this event had only strengthened her resolve. She knew what she wanted. But then she always had done really.

The door to the room opened and Lauren glanced in the direction. It was a doctor. "Miss Branning?"

"Yes. Lauren, please..." she said softly. "Is he okay?"

"Yes, Joseph has been very lucky. We've relocated his shoulder and it will be strapped up shortly to reduce the chance of it dislocating again. I'll also prescribe him some anti-inflammatory medication which will help reduce the swelling around his shoulder. His collar bone is fractured but he'll be able to manage the pain from this by taking paracetamol. He's going to have some pretty spectacular bruises but that's largely it." He consulted Joey's notes. "We've got him on oxygen at the moment... he inhaled a lot of dust and dirt which might impact on his breathing so I'd like to keep him on that for a few more hours."

"When will he wake up?" Lauren asked softly. "And when will he be able to go home?"

"Well I think he'll wake up in the next couple of hours. As for when he can leave the hospital... until he's conscious and I've reviewed his condition, I can't say for certain. I might keep him in overnight if he's having problems with his breathing."

"The paramedic said his arm might be fractured...?"

"We've taken some X-rays but there doesn't appear to be any signs of breaks or fractures."

"Okay... thanks doctor." The doctor smiled at her and then left the two of them alone. Lauren turned her attention back to Joey. "Come on, Joe... time to wake up now." She whispered to him.

*JL*JL*

Joey felt like a weight was pressed on his chest and he was exhausted. He remembered being in bed earlier but he knew that wasn't where he was now. Not his bed anyway. He thought back through what he could remember and the noise of a loud creaking groan filtered through his thoughts... before everything went black and the pain began. He remembered waking for a short time after that. Then people were pulling him out from what was left of his room and the pain had increased astronomically, which was the last thing he remembered.

He took a deep breath, wincing slightly as his shoulder protested the large movement and slowly opened his eyes. He glanced down his body, assessing his injuries and seeing his arm was strapped against his chest. That wasn't what caught his attention though. No, what caught his attention was the brunette whose head was resting on his body as she slept, her face turned towards him. He pulled his hand from her loose grasp, lifting it and brushing his fingers through her hair, tucking it behind her ear and leaving his hand resting at the top of her back.

The touch of his hand woke her, her eyes opening and staring at him, "Joe..." she whispered.

"Hey babe." He croaked, coughing as his throat was dry.

She moved away from him and brought him back a plastic cup of water and a straw. She held it to his mouth and he took a sip. "How are you feeling?" she asked him softly.

"Like a building fell on me..." he said with a chuckle and saw her frown, eyes filling with tears. "Too soon?" he asked softly and she nodded. "Shoulder hurts like hell..." he admitted.

"I thought you were going to leave me..." she murmured.

"Will never happen, Lauren." He breathed, staring at her.

Lauren swallowed, unable to break her gaze from him. She got to her feet and bent over him, "I think it's time I told you what my decision is..." she told him softly. "Yes... I want that too, Joe. I want us to be together." She kissed him tenderly and rested her forehead against his.

TBC

**A/N: So there you go... They want to be together. Yippee! So you probably think this story is done now, right? Wrong... still a way to go yet. However there is no preview tonight - the title of the next film remains a secret until tomorrow. :-)**


	27. Chapter 27: PS I Love You

**So here is the chapter which had no preview... Hope you like the title! For anyone who's seen the film, I've not followed the storyline of the film (given the male lead dies right at the start) - so rest assured. Enjoy!**

**Chapter 27: P.S. I Love You.**

Joey was released from hospital later that evening. By then the roads had been cleared and getting a taxi back to Walford was an easier prospect. Lauren had called her dad shortly after Joey woke and told him not to bother coming to the hospital. He hadn't been happy but she'd said they would get a cab back to the square once Joey was also able to leave.

The couple walked out of the hospital together, Joey dressed in some hospital overalls as he hadn't been wearing much when he was rescued and what he had been wearing had apparently been cut from his body after he got to the hospital. "I just realised I don't even have anywhere to go..." Joey said softly.

Lauren squeezed his hand, "Dad said you could come and stay at ours until you had something arranged."

"And all my stuff is gone..."

"We'll see what we can get from your room, I promise." She told him. "It's just stuff, Joe. What's important is that you're okay." She hailed a taxi and ushered him into it, making sure he didn't jostle his arm at all. "When I think what could've happened today..." she whispered and he put his good arm around her shoulder as the taxi pulled away, Lauren leaning against him. She turned her head slightly and kissed the base of his neck. "I've missed this."

"Me too, baby." She giggled after he spoke and he looked at her in question.

"You called me baby..." she whispered.

"I've wanted to for ages..." he confessed. "Now I can."

She smiled at him, "You can... I like it."

"Me too, baby," he said again.

"I meant to say earlier," She whispered, staring into his eyes, "I love you too, Joe." She added, smiling at him. He stared at her face and then moved towards her, placing his lips on hers in a tender kiss. They both lost themselves in the kiss and only pulled apart when they felt the taxi start to slow down. It was just as well because as the cab stopped Lauren's parents came out of the house to greet them. Max paid the driver while Tanya opened the door and her and Lauren helped Joey out of the car.

"Come inside, Joey," Tanya said, "Let's get you in the warm..." She walked up the stairs leaving Joey and Lauren stood on the street.

Joey's head turned and he stared at what was left of the B&B, "Was anyone else hurt?" he asked her softly.

"No... just you." She told him softly.

"Good..." His eyes were still locked on the front of the damaged building.

"Let's go inside, Joe."

He sighed and turned his attention back to Lauren, "Okay..." She helped him up the stairs and into the house. He sat on the couch, wincing slightly as his shoulder caught the back of the couch.

"Do you want a drink or anything?" Tanya offered.

"A water would be great, Auntie Tanya." He said. His throat was still dry with the after effects of the dust he'd inhaled. She left and Max went with her, leaving the two of them alone. "Is there something I can change into?" he asked Lauren softly.

"Let me go and find out..." She pecked him on the lips and walked into the kitchen. "Do we have anything Joey can change into?" she asked her parents.

"Yeah, Uncle Jack brought some things over that he recovered from Joey's room. After they managed to support the remainder of the roof, he was given the go ahead to go into the room with some of the fire crew." Max told his daughter. "Your mum put them in Oscar's room... that's where Joey's going to be staying for now. Oscar's coming into our room."

"Great, thanks dad." Lauren said. Tanya passed her the glass of water for Joey and Lauren walked back to her boyfriend. She smiled as she thought that... it was still quite new to call their relationship that but it felt so right. Joey looked up as she came into the room and smiled at her. "Uncle Jack got some of your things out of the room so we should be able to find something for you to wear. Do you want to go and change now?" She asked. He nodded and she held out a hand to pull him up to his feet. They walked up the stairs and she led him into Oscar's room. She put down the glass and walked over to the pile of clothes on the bed. She pulled a pair of joggers and a hooded top from it. She also grabbed some boxers. She turned back to Joey and smiled at him. "Do you need me to help?" she asked.

Joey looked down, "I guess so..." he said, his face heating slightly. Lauren stepped in front of him and lifted her hand to brush the side of his face.

"Hey... it's okay, Joe." She whispered. She reached for the waistband of the trousers he was wearing and eased them off his hips. He stayed silently as she pushed them down his legs and he leant on her shoulders as he stepped out of them. She knelt in front of him and helped him step into first the underwear and then the jogging pants she'd selected. She pulled them up to his waist, deliberately brushing her hand past his length which brought a moan from Joey. She stood back up, wrapping her arms around his waist and pulling him into a hug once she was done with that. "It's okay, babe." She said softly, feeling him rest his head on top of hers. After a couple of minutes they pulled apart and Lauren started the much harder process of removing his top. This was much more difficult because she was trying really hard not to hurt his shoulder any further. She saw him wince as she pushed it up over his arm that was still strapped to his body. "Sorry..." she whispered.

"It's fine," he replied.

Once the top was removed she stared at his body. The bruises were beginning to show now, darkening to a purple colour that was only going to get worse. "That sling thing is going to rub..." she whispered.

"It'll be okay."

"Give me a minute," She said to him gently. She left the room and walked to the bathroom, finding what she wanted and jogging back to the bedroom. "Sit down, Joe." She said softly. He sat on the edge of Oscar's bed and Lauren carefully put the flannel she'd just found between the strap of the sling around his neck and his skin. She then eased his good arm into the hoodie and placed the other side over his shoulder. "Tomorrow you hopefully won't be in as much pain as the pills will have kicked in and we'll have a go at getting a better top on you."

"Thanks..." he said softly.

"Let's go back downstairs." They walked back down to the lounge and sat back down on the couch.

Her parents walked into the room, "We're going to go to the Vic for a drink. Are you two okay?"

"We're fine. Thanks Uncle Max." Soon the two of them were alone. "Lauren..." Joey gasped after the two of them had been sitting in silence for some time. She looked at him, seeing an emotion she never thought she'd see on his face. Fear.

"Joe?" she breathed. He held his arm out to her and she moved towards him, letting him pull her onto his lap. With his one good arm he hugged her tightly against him and Lauren felt his body start to shake. She wrapped her arms around him, being careful with his shoulder. She whispered softly into his ear, repeating the same phrase to him over and over again. "I'm here, Joe."

*JL*JL*

They pulled apart and Joey yawned, although he tried to hide it. "You should go to bed..."

"After this morning, that doesn't sound very appealing."

"You're exhausted, Joe..." she said softly. She got up and again held a hand out for him. He took it and was soon standing next to her. Again she led him up to Oscar's room and helped him remove the clothes he was wearing so he was in just his boxers. She helped him climb into the bed and kissed him on the forehead. "Do you want anything?" she asked. He shook his head but she knew it was a lie. "Stay here..." she told him softly. She left the room and returned a few minutes later.

"What are you doing?" he asked as she walked over to him again.

She lifted the cover and slid into the small space next to him, "Doing what I need to do..." she told him gently. "What I want to do..."

"Your parents...?"

"I've told them we've gone to bed... It's been a long day. It'll be fine, Joe."

"What about Abi?"

"She's staying with a friend from school tonight."

"And Oscar?"

"Is already in bed..." She smiled at him, "Stop making excuses, baby." She whispered to him.

"I don't want to be responsible for keeping you awake..." he breathed.

"You won't be... this way you will get a decent night sleep and so will I."

"And what if your parents find us like this..."

"We are doing nothing other than sharing a bed, Joe. I'll tell them you couldn't sleep so I stayed with you to keep you calm."

"That probably won't be too far from the truth." He murmured.

"Are you comfortable?" she asked him softly. He was silent for a few seconds before shaking his head. "Get comfy, baby..." she whispered. He shifted in the bed, Lauren moving with him until he was lying so his head was resting on her chest, the left side of his body leaning onto hers. She wrapped her arms around him, her hand brushing up and down his back. Every now and again her fingers would run through his hair. She felt his lips kiss her through her T-shirt and she felt a wave of love for him ebb over her.

*JL*JL*

Lauren wriggled out of the bed the next morning. Joey was still asleep and she wouldn't have moved but she was in desperate need of the toilet. She opened the door to the room and walked onto the landing.

"What the hell do you think you are doing, Lauren?"

It was her mum and Lauren looked at her, her mouth open in shock. "Joey wasn't able to sleep so I stayed in the room with him, to make sure he was okay and he didn't have any bad dreams."

Her mum stared at her and Lauren wondered if she believed her at all. "Is he okay now?" She asked softly, the mother in her coming to the fore.

"Yeah... he's sleeping. I just needed the loo."

"Well don't let your dad see you, Lauren." Her mum said before making her way downstairs.

Lauren was back in Oscar's room a couple of minutes later and as she walked over to the bed Joey opened his eyes. "Baby?" he murmured.

"Call of nature." She told him. He shifted across the bed, only wincing slightly and Lauren climbed in next to him. She tilted her head so she could kiss him softly. His good arm came up and held her head in place as he deepened the kiss.

"I wouldn't mind waking up like this every morning..." he said as they pulled apart.

"You've said that before." She said with a smile.

"I have... I meant it then too."

"Really?" She whispered.

"Yes, really." He kissed her softly again, smiling against her lips. "I guess I need to start getting things sorted out today." He told her.

"We can go and see if we can get any more of your things from the B&B." She suggested.

"Okay." They climbed out of the bed, Joey needing a little help from Lauren.

"You going to be okay having a shower?" she asked him.

"Much as I'd like you to join me... I think we both know that would only lead to trouble." He said with a smirk. "I could do with a hand getting the sling off though." He admitted.

"You go into the bathroom and I'll sneak back to my room. Call for me and I'll come and help you take the sling off. I'll sort out some clothes for you to put on while you're in there too."

"Thanks baby." He said softly, kissing the tip of her nose before turning back to the door. He opened it and peeked outside, finding the landing empty. He opened the door for her and let her out. She sneaked back into her bedroom, doing a little happy dance once she was in the sanctuary of her own room. She put on her dressing gown and made sure it looked like she'd just crawled out of her own bed. Two minutes later she heard him call her name and she poked her head out of the door. "Can you help me with my sling?" he asked.

Her dad came out of her parents room as she was about to answer. "Sure, Joey." She said softly. She walked out of her room, "Hi dad. You going to work today?"

"Yeah, got some paperwork to catch up on." He said, "You okay, Joey?" he asked.

"Yeah. Just going to have a shower. Lauren's helping me with my sling..." he replied.

"Good. Make sure you don't injure him any further, Lauren." Max said as he started to walk down the stairs.

"Dad!" Lauren protested but she was relieved that he didn't seem to suspect anything was going on between them. "Come on then..." she said, ushering him back into the bathroom. He stood before her in the bathroom, just wearing his boxers. "Nice..." she said with a smirk. She walked around him and began to loosen the sling around his neck. He groaned slightly as she removed it and she looked at his face in concern, "You okay?" she asked.

"Yeah, it's just sore."

"It's pretty colourful too..." she said. She went over to a cupboard and pulled out a towel for him to use. She placed it near the shower. "You alright from here?" she asked.

"Yeah. You'd better go..." he said.

Lauren could tell he wanted her to stay and really she wanted to as well. "I'll see you in a while. Yell if you need anything." She left the room while she still could. She walked back into the bedroom he was staying in and chose some clothes for him to wear today. Then she went downstairs, into the kitchen, finding her parents sitting and eating their breakfast.

"Morning, sweetheart," her mum said, as if she hadn't seen her earlier.

"So how's Joey really feeling this morning?" her dad asked.

"Well, his bruises are more pronounced today and he's a bit sore but I think he's feeling a bit better than he was last night." She said as she started getting some toast ready.

"That's good then." Her dad said. "Look, we didn't call Derek and tell him what happened but it might be best if Joey calls Alice, so she hears it from him not someone else when she gets home."

"You're right." Lauren turned to face her parents, "We were going to go over to the B&B and see if we can get any more of his stuff from his room."

"I don't think you'll be able to, babe." Her dad said, "Uncle Jack said they've got the building cordoned off... health and safety apparently and a surveyor is coming to work out the cause and assess the damage. Jack had to really plead in order to get the few bits he got."

"Well he can't survive with just that, dad."

Her dad reached into his jacket and pulled out his wallet. He slid this credit card from it onto the table, "Get some things for him... but don't go mad, Lauren... I'm not made of money."

"I won't dad. I'll just get a few things... it's mainly tops that he'll be able to wear while his arm's strapped up. And a few other bits." She walked over to him and kissed his cheek, "Thanks dad. I'm sure Joey will say thanks too." She picked up the bottle of medication for Joey and then finished getting the toast ready and poured a mug of coffee, "I'd better go and make sure Joey is okay and then get myself ready too. You going to work today as well, mum?"

"Yeah... we'll both be home for teatime." She said.

"See you later then if we're not down before you leave." Lauren said. She left the room with a plate of toast and the mug of coffee. As soon as she was at the top of the stairs she knew Joey was back in his room. She walked up to it, "Knock knock..." she said softly, nudging it open with her foot. Joey was sitting on the bed, a towel wrapped around his waist that did little to hide his impressive (if somewhat colourful) physique. "How's the shoulder?" she asked gently.

"Sore." He told her truthfully.

She reached into her dressing gown pocket and pulled out the bottle of tablets, taking one from the bottle and passing it to him, "Take one of these, baby." She told him, passing him the mug of coffee. He silently did as she said and she passed him the plate of toast so he could eat a slice from it. While he was otherwise occupied she leant forward and pressed her lips to his good shoulder, leaving them against his skin, her hand drifted to his stomach, teasing his skin gently.

"Baby..." he whispered, glancing at her. "Your parents..."

"I'm just looking after you..." she breathed against his skin.

"I'm not sure they'll think that way if they catch us like this."

"They'll be gone soon." She whispered against his skin. "We're going shopping by the way..." she told him.

"We are?"

"Yeah... dad said you won't be able to get anything else from your room so he's given us his credit card so you can get some stuff."

"I can't take his money..." Joey said.

"You need some more clothes, baby." She whispered. "Much as I like seeing you with very little on, you need more things than what Uncle Jack rescued."

"Okay." He sighed but she could tell he wasn't looking forward to it.

"Dad says you should call Alice as well and tell her what happened. He thinks it'll be better if she hears it from you and I think he's right."

"I'll call her tonight..." he said then sighed. "Well I would... if I hadn't lost my mobile."

"You can use mine." She whispered. "We can speak to dad tonight... there must be some sort of insurance you can claim on." Lauren smiled as she heard her parents call goodbye up the stairs and then the front door slammed shut. "Told you they'd be gone soon." She said with a smirk.

"And we're going shopping..."

"We've got all day for that... I want something else first." Her hand slipped lower and she pulled at the towel. She moved to sit astride his lap, her eyes gazing into his, "Don't you want this?" she whispered, her hand brushing his length.

"You know I do, baby." He whispered.

"It's been so long... Not since that night... and before that it was even longer, when we were in Spain. I've missed this..." she told him as she opened her dressing down and revealed her naked body beneath. His hand drifted to her body and she saw him wince. "Let me do this for you, baby." She whispered. "Let me look after you..." She kissed his mouth, both instantly reigniting the passion between them.

"Oh god, baby..." he moaned as her fingers tightened their grip on him.

Lauren slipped off his lap and moved to kneel on the floor between his legs. He watched her with dark eyes as she lowered her head to his groin and then her mouth was on him and he had to shut his eyes or he would've come there and then. The sight of her doing that to him was more than enough to push him over the edge and it would just be embarrassing to come that quickly. However much he wanted to hold back, he was soon coming into her mouth though. He could already feel his arousal returning when she licked him clean and then she was back on his lap, smiling at him. "Was that okay?" she asked in a whisper.

"More than okay, baby." He told her, "Have I told you today how much I love you?" She shook her head and he kissed her deeply, "I really do, baby."

She saw the slight wince as he moved, "Let's put your shoulder back in the sling..." she said.

"I'm fine..." he tried to reassure her.

"No, Joe. You're not. It's hurting you and I don't want that..." She reached over and picked up the sling and flannel from further up the bed and carefully put both back on him.

"Does this mean we're not going to...?"

"Don't worry, babe." She said, smiling at him. "We just need to be careful of your arm..." He stared at her, "So let me do everything, okay?" she whispered, her smile growing. He nodded and her hand moved back to his cock, stroking him so he was fully erect. She shifted slightly and then lowered herself onto him, both of them sighing as they were once again connected. "Oh god... Joe." She moaned, starting to move on him. Joey was silent, staring at her face and seeing the emotions so clearly defined on it. How had he never seen them there before? She pressed her lips to his and the kiss grew heated, as was usually the case. Her hand ran down his good arm and their fingers entwined. "I've missed this so much, Joe... and I don't just mean sex. This... with you..." She gasped as his length brushed against that sacred spot within her, "Ever since the first time we were together I think a part of me knew I could never find this with anyone else. Now I realise I don't want to find this with anyone else. I've never felt like this about anyone before..." He kissed her softly, smiling as he saw her face flush, "It's kind of scary sometimes..." she whispered.

"You don't need to be scared about this, baby," he told her, "This is going to be really easy... we've done the hard part by admitting how we really feel to one another. Everything else will be simple in comparison."

"You always say the right things, Joe..." she whispered, her head lolling backwards as she sped up her movements slightly.

His good arm wound around her waist and pulled her closer, his mouth urgently searching for hers as his own arousal reached its peak. Lauren's body continued moving, edging herself closer to the point of oblivion. Joey pressed his thumb on her clit and she flew apart, her head falling on his good shoulder as she moaned his name.

*JL*JL*

"We should get dressed and get going..." Lauren said as she leant against Joey, still sitting on his lap some ten minutes later. "I'm going to go and have a shower..." she whispered.

"Fancy some company?" Joey suggested.

"Well, I guess you do probably need to get clean again." She said with a smile. She stood up and held out her hand towards him. He took it and got to his feet. They walked into the bathroom and once Lauren had again removed the sling from around his neck they were in the shower. Lauren washed his hair for him then washed the rest of his body, taking care around his injuries. She did the same to her own body, then stepped into his arms and rested her head against his chest as they took the time to just appreciate being with each other again.

*JL*JL*

Joey and Lauren walked towards the tube station. Joey hated the fact the people were staring at him but he could understand it. He just didn't like it. It made him feel weak and that was a completely foreign thing for him to feel. His minor meltdown the night before had been mortifying enough. He didn't need all this attention as well now... he wasn't sure he could handle it. Not right now anyway. Once they were on the tube it was easier. Joey and Lauren held hands with each other and Joey took his strength from her.

He let Lauren lead the way to the shops and happily trailed behind her in the first one, watching her select things she thought he would like. And he wasn't watching her ass at all... no, absolutely... okay, maybe just a little. Every now and again she would hold something up and ask his opinion, awaiting the nod or shake of his head about the item. Sometimes she would hold something up in front of him and it took all his willpower to not laugh as he saw the concentration on her face as she pondered whether it was right for him or not.

"Do you want to try them on?" she asked once she'd chosen an armful of items.

"Not unless you think I should... I'm happy to just go with what you've chosen. It's not like I can put them on at the moment anyway."

"True..." She smiled at him, "Come on then, let's go and pay. We've still got more shops to go to..."

*JL*JL*

The second shop was one Joey would rather have skipped completely... or at least not been present for. He didn't follow after her this time, giving her free reign to choose some new underwear for him. He decided she knew what he usually wore and he felt a little uncomfortable with it all if he was being honest with himself. Actually he decided it was the fact his uncle was buying this all for him that made him feel worse.

Their next venture was a shoe shop and he chose two pairs of shoes. One was a pair of trainers and the other were some shoes he could wear to work... when he would be able to work again. A one-armed barman was pretty pointless. He knew he needed to speak to Sharon sometime today as well, although hopefully she would understand.

Joey was beginning to get tired after the shoes were purchased and Lauren was laden down with bags. He'd tried to carry some of them but she wouldn't let him even think about it. "Can we go home, baby?" he asked as they walked back out onto the street.

"Are you okay?" she asked in concern.

"Just tired," he admitted, "Could do with taking some more painkillers too." He added.

"Okay. I think we've trashed dad's card enough today anyway." She said with a smile.

"I'm going to pay him back, baby."

"I know that, Joe." She told him simply.

*JL*JL*

Lauren and an exhausted Joey walked back into the house and Lauren dumped the bags on the floor in the hallway. "I'll take them upstairs later." She said softly. Joey sat on the couch, wincing slightly. Lauren saw this and went into the kitchen and got him his tablets and a glass of water without him having to ask. He took the tablets and rested his head against the back of the couch. Lauren sat beside him.

"I suppose we're going to have to tell the family about us at some time."

"Yeah," he said softly, his eyes still closed.

"They aren't going to accept it very well, are they?" She said softly, both her hands gripping his tightly as she thought about the intricacies of what they were discussing.

"We'll sort it out, baby." He whispered to her. "Whatever happens, we're in this for the long haul. If the worst happens and they don't accept us, we can go to my mum's. She'll be okay with us being together. She already knows how I feel about you."

"You told her?" she asked, looking up at his face.

He nodded, "When I went back home. She could tell something was wrong so I ended up telling her."

She was silent as she absorbed his words, "I told Uncle Jack..." she whispered.

"Huh?" Joey opened his eyes when she spoke, lifting his head to look at her.

"I was in a bad way... he knew something was wrong and made me tell him. He said I should speak to you about the way I felt."

"How did he react to what you told him?"

"He was okay, I guess... but he said that we might have problems if we decided to pursue this... I don't want problems. I want things to be drama free for a change."

"They will be, baby. I promise. Things are going to be easier for us now."

TBC

**A/N: So they've done the deed for the first time since getting back together and Lauren looked after her man. Let me know what you thought...**

**COMING SOON... TO A FAN FIC SITE NEAR YOU... BED OF ROSES... (my favourite chapter!)**


	28. Chapter 28: Bed Of Roses

**So here is one of my favourite chapters. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do. I'll reply to reviews for the last chapter later tonight. Enjoy!**

**Chapter 28: Bed of Roses.**

It was ten days since the accident at the B&B and Joey was finally able to stop wearing the sling. In a couple of days he hoped to go back to work, just in time for New Year's Eve. Christmas had been a quiet affair which, Joey had been told by Lauren, was surprising for the Branning family. Derek and Alice returned to the square on Christmas Eve and Alice had immediately come over to see how he was. When his sister and Derek came over on Christmas Day, there had been a slight moment of awkwardness when Derek tried to force Joey to go and stay with them. Fortunately Joey's uncles stepped in and calmed Derek down and the moment was soon over. Joey was staying with Uncle Max still, obviously. Even if there hadn't had the enticement of Lauren, there was no way he would be living with his father. Not while he was still breathing anyway.

There were only a couple more days before he hopefully went back to work so he wanted to take Lauren out for the night, treat her to a proper date. He had it all planned out... well mostly anyway. The only problem was getting away from the square. How they did that without raising any suspicions about their relationship he hadn't quite worked out but he was determined this was going to happen.

He entered the kitchen and found Lauren sitting at the table, eating some toast. There was a mug of coffee on the table for him and he saw the soft smile on her face as she looked at him. There was only the two of them at home so he went round to her side of the table and kissed her good morning, nabbing a slice of toast from her plate as he did so.

"Oi... that's mine."

"Finders keepers." He said with a smile. He took a bite of the toast as he sat down and smirked at Lauren.

"Got any plans for today?" she asked innocently as she got up and started to make them both some more toast.

"Well I was thinking of treating my girlfriend to a date." He said as he continued to eat the toast. In fact he reached over and grabbed another slice off her plate.

"Joey!" she cried out as she saw him.

"What?" he said, his smirk growing. "Don't you love me?" he said, looking at her with beseeching eyes.

"You know I do... doesn't mean you can pinch my breakfast though."

"I'll make it up to you later." He told her with a sly smile.

"Oh, will you now, Mr. Joseph Branning?" she said as she walked round to where he sat and plopped herself onto his lap, her arms wrapping around his neck. She kissed him softly, his arms winding round her waist and holding her close.

"You know I always keep my promises, baby." He breathed against her mouth.

"Mmm..." she sighed. "And how do you propose to do that, Joe?" she whispered.

"Like I said I'm taking you out for a date."

"Where?" she asked.

"It's a surprise. You're going to have to wait and see." He kissed her softly. "Toast's done." He said with a smile. She frowned but got up and went to finish the toast. "Our only problem is how to get away from here without anyone getting suspicious."

"I can tell mum I'm going out with some friends." She suggested.

"Can you make it an overnight thing?"

"Should be able to..." she said as she placed the plate of toast on the table beside them, retaking her place on his lap. "I wish you'd tell me where we're going..." she told him. "I don't know what to wear or anything..."

"Dress as if you're going to your friends for a girly night in or something but pack something dressy to wear tonight. We're going out on the town."

"I love you, Joe."

"I love you too, baby." He kissed her but then nudged her off his lap. "Now I need to get going. I'm going to meet some of my friend's from home for the night, catch up with them before I go back to work." He winked at her to let her know this was his excuse for leaving Walford, "I'll let your dad know as I'm leaving." He glanced at his watch, "Can you meet me at Charing Cross tube station? Say at about one o'clock?" She nodded and watched as he darted out of the room, one quick kiss for her before he left.

*JL*JL*

Lauren came up the escalator out of the tube line and her eyes began to scan the concourse, looking for Joey. She saw him standing the other side of the ticket barrier and she scanned her Oyster card and went through it. He was standing in front of her after a couple of strides and he swept her into his arms and kissed her passionately.

"Let me take that for you?" he said as he set her feet on the floor once more and taking her overnight bag from her. "Did you have any problems getting away?" he asked.

"No. Mum believed me and she was fine with me staying out." She smiled up at him and he could see the adoration in her eyes.

"Your dad was okay as well. I told him I could be away for a couple of nights and I'd let him know when I was going to come back to Walford." He saw the frown on her face, "I thought it might look odd if we both come back to the square at the same time. I'll probably go to my mum's for the night tomorrow." Now she looked really sad, "What's wrong?" he asked.

"I think after tonight I'm not going to want to be apart from you..." she whispered.

"Then I'd better make sure our date is so good you'll be too tired to think of doing anything tomorrow night."

"Or it'll just make me feel worse tomorrow." She murmured.

He slipped his hand in hers and squeezed it gently. "Come on then..." They walked out of the station and turned right. Lauren noticed they were on the Strand and she wondered where he was taking her. They walked for just over five minutes and then Joey pulled her into the front of a very grand looking hotel. She looked at him in wonder and had to bite her lip to stop the emotions that were brimming beneath the surface from escaping. He pulled her over to the reception, "I have a booking for Mr and Mrs Branning." He said confidently. Lauren tried to keep the surprise off her face from what he'd said but she wasn't sure she'd managed it very well. She was in a bit of a daze as the receptionist spoke to Joey. She only became aware of her surroundings again when Joey squeezed her hand and then they were walking across the foyer to the elevators.

She didn't speak until they were in the elevator and it was moving up to the floor for their room. "This is costing too much, Joe." She said softly, the guilt at the money he was spending on her increasing with each floor number.

"Mum sent me some money once she'd heard what had happened and I got a letter about the insurance claim I made... I'm going to be getting a lot of money from that so I wanted to splash a bit of it in your direction." The lift dinged and he pulled her out of it once the doors were open. He swiped the key when they reached the right door and held it open for Lauren to walk through. She gasped as she saw the room inside. The bed was HUGE. She spun round to look at the whole room and ended up facing Joey.

She stepped towards him and pulled him against her, kissing him deeply. "Thank you, Joe."

"The day's not over yet, baby..." he said softly.

"So what do you have planned?" she asked.

"Well, I thought we could start by making use of that bed... many, many times." He told her, with a twinkle in his eyes. "Then I've booked a table for dinner for us in the restaurant downstairs... by the window so you'll have an amazing view as well."

"You will too..." she said.

"We could be sitting by the kitchen and I'd still have an amazing view, baby." He said tenderly.

"Charmer..." she whispered but not looking displeased by what he'd just said.

"I've got us tickets to see a show as well."

"Really... what are we going to see?"

He smiled at her, his hand brushing the side of her face as he saw the excitement, "The Bodyguard." He whispered and she let out a shriek, jumping into his arms.

"I've wanted to see that since it opened..." she said.

"Really... I never knew..." he teased, as she'd mentioned it many times.

"I love you, Joey... and that's not just because you're spending a fortune on me... I'd love you if you didn't have a penny to your name."

"I love you too, baby."

*JL*JL*

Just after five o'clock Joey and Lauren walked down to the restaurant. Lauren had a very satisfied expression on her face, having spent the afternoon being worshipped and adored by Joey, experiencing multiple orgasms as he showed her just how much he loved her. Joey's eyes were fixed on Lauren, simply unable to take his eyes off her in the dress she was wearing. It was the first time he knew she'd dressed up just for him, he was certainly appreciating it and Lauren knew it.

They were shown to their table and Joey made Lauren swoon slightly when he pulled her chair out for her. He let her sit at the table so she was looking out of the window. He sat opposite her, staring at her intently as she looked at one of the menus the waiter had left with them. She glanced up and blushed as she saw him watching her, "Stop it, Joe." She said softly.

"Stop what?" he asked innocently.

"Watching me like that. You should be looking at the menu... not me."

"But you're so much more interesting..." he said softly, his hand reaching across and linking with hers, his thumb brushing the back of hers in such a way that it was all she could concentrate on.

"If you carry on like that we won't be going to the theatre... we might even get thrown out of the restaurant." She said, her face flushing a deep shade of red and Joey could see she was breathing heavily.

"I would've thought we'd have worked all that out this afternoon..."

"Well, you're that good, babe... I want you all the time." She whispered, "Anyway, we're still making up for all the time we missed when we were apart."

"We certainly are." He smirked at her then forced himself to look at the menu, seeing the waiter hovering to take their order. Ten minutes later their food had been chosen and the couple were on their own again.

"I want to say thank you, Joe." Lauren told him softly, her hand turning over and their fingers lacing together.

"What for?"

"So many things really." She admitted.

"Anything specific?"

"For telling me how you felt the other week. I know it must've taken a lot of courage to come and tell me. I know you had no idea what I was feeling so you could've been opening yourself up to rejection." She looked down at the table, "I also want to thank you for today... I wasn't expecting any of this so I want to say thank you now... in case I forget to say it later." Her eyes flicked up to his and he smiled at her, "I also want to thank you for suggesting the arrangement in the first place... It was what I needed at the time but I'm glad we've ended it now. And we've changed it to something so much better."

He squeezed her hand gently, "Me too, baby."

*JL*JL*

Their starter arrived and they talked softly about things... to a certain extent they were still getting to know each other. When their mains arrived the conversation turned a little more serious.

"When the money from the insurance company arrives, I'm going to look for somewhere else to live." Joey said softly.

Lauren froze and looked up at him in concern. "Why?" she whispered.

"I want us to have somewhere we can be together, baby." He told her. "It's great being at the house with you but I like waking up in the morning with you in my arms and I can't do that at the moment. We can't sleep together at your house and I want to do that... all the time."

"You won't move away from the square, will you?" she asked him hesitantly, biting her lip as the thought of him being more than a few minutes from her made her heart race.

He could feel the tension in her hand and he again tightened his hold on it, "I can't promise I'll be in the square but I won't be far away... don't worry."

"I like seeing you every day..." she murmured. "I'll miss you not being in Oscar's room."

"You'll still see me every day, Lauren. I need to see you just as badly..."

"Okay..." she whispered.

Joey lifted her hand and kissed the back of it softly. "I didn't mean to put the evening on a downer, baby... I'm sorry."

"It's okay... it just surprised me and scared me a little, I guess."

"Why were you scared?" he asked.

"I worry that we'll drift apart... or someone will come between us."

"Baby, I love you more than I could ever hope to express in words and nothing will ever change that," he smiled at her, relieved to see a small smile back from her. "Even if that wasn't the case, more than anything you are my best friend... I would want to see you every day anyway."

Lauren blushed slightly at his words and she went back to eating her main course. Silence fell between them as they ate but it wasn't uncomfortable. Once their plates were gone Joey took her hand back in his and they resumed their conversation.

*JL*JL*

Joey had insisted that Lauren choose the pudding for them to share and they were waiting for it to arrive when he decided to put his final plan into action. "Baby, I just need to pop back up to the room..."

"Do you want me to come with you?"

"No, it's fine. You wait for the pudding to arrive and start... I won't be more than a few minutes." He got to his feet and bent down slightly to kiss her on the lips as he walked past. "Back soon..." he said softly. He walked quickly out of the restaurant and back up to their room, pausing briefly to speak to the reception as he walked past. Ten minutes later he looked around their room, pleased with what he'd done. He just hoped Lauren liked it.

*JL*JL*

Lauren was beginning to wonder where the hell Joey was. He was taking a lot longer than she thought he would... not that she had any clue as to what he was doing. She glanced at the time and knew they would need to leave soon to get to the theatre in time and Joey hadn't ate his share of the pudding yet... which had been AMAZING by the way.

A hand brushed across her back, making her jump but she quickly realised it was Joey returning back to the table. "You were gone a long time..." she whispered, pushing the bowl over to him.

"Sorry, I was on my way back down when I realised I forgot to pick up the tickets..." he said. He rolled his eyes at his own stupidity and she giggled.

"Eat the dessert..." she whispered. "It's so lovely..."

"Are you sure you don't want any more?" he asked.

"Are you trying to make me fat?" she asked.

"You could never be fat, baby... Seriously though, you should have some more of this. I'm not really that big a fan of chocolate."

"You seemed to like it in Spain..." she said with a giggle. He smiled widely at her and winked, which made her blush.

"Eat the pudding, baby..." he said softly, pushing the bowl back towards her.

*JL*JL*

Joey helped Lauren put her coat on once they'd left the restaurant but she still shivered as she felt the bitterly cold wind when they emerged from the hotel. Joey stopped her and pressed his lips against hers in a deep kiss as they stood on the street before they began to walk in the direction of the theatre which was only a little way down the road. Lauren loved the fact they could walk around, hand in hand, without any thoughts about hiding it. It was liberating and there was a little part of her that looked forward to a time when they would be able to do this at home as well.

The doors hadn't opened when they got there so there was a large queue outside. Joey pulled Lauren against his body, wrapping his arms around her waist. Her head was resting against his chest and standing like that she began to feel all warm and cosy. He really was quite literally, in all senses of the word, one very hot man. Her hands slipped inside his jacket and wrapped around his waist, holding onto him tight. She didn't miss the slightly jealous looks from a couple of girls who were standing nearby... especially when Joey lowered his head and kissed her softly on the forehead.

The queue started to move and Joey nudged her backwards, not relinquishing his hold on her, although she was just as reluctant to let go of him. Shortly after 7 o'clock they were finally inside the theatre and Joey was buying Lauren a program and bought them both a bottle of water to drink. They made their way to their seats (in the Dress Circle) and once Lauren sat down she saw they had a fantastic view of the stage. She leant against Joey's side and smiled as he put his arm around her shoulders. While they were waiting Lauren had a look through the program and as the minutes passed she just became more excited for what the show would be like.

Finally the auditorium darkened as the lights dimmed and the noise from the audience settled to a gentle hum. The show started.

*JL*JL*

As they left the theatre just about three hours after they arrived Lauren was talking excitedly about the show, her hand clasped tightly in Joey's as they walked back to the hotel. Joey smiled at her tenderly as he saw how keyed up she was. This was a side of Lauren he didn't see very often and he knew others saw it even less often.

He led her into the reception of the hotel and the receptionist smiled and gave a slight nod to him as they walked past, both missed by Lauren. In the lift up to the room Lauren kissed him softly on the mouth, "Thanks Joe..." she whispered against his lips. "I've had a brilliant night."

He smiled down at her, "You are totally worth it, baby." The doors to the lift opened and Joey led her back to their room. Once they reached the doorway he put his hand over her eyes and opened the door.

"What are you doing, Joe?" she asked as he blocked her eyes.

"Still got one surprise, baby." He whispered to her. He pressed his body behind her, wrapping his arm around her waist and urged her through the door. "Close your eyes, Lauren." He said softly.

"They're closed."

He removed his hand and closed the door to the room behind them. He smiled as he saw their room, silently thanking the staff for their assistance. He kissed Lauren's face, just in front of her ear and then whispered, "You can open them now," to her.

He heard the gasp from her as she did what he said and there was a tiny part of him that wished he could see her face. He'd stepped back from her slightly after talking to her, wanting to give her some space to absorb the room but she turned and launched herself into his arms, kissing him deeply as he caught her. "God, Joey... I love you so much." She told him softly, her hands cradling his face. "When did you do this?"

"When I came up to the room earlier... but reception helped with the champagne, flowers and candles..." he told her. "Bringing them up to the room anyway..."

"The rest of it was you?" she asked. He nodded, hoping she was okay with this. "Baby, it's beautiful. I love it and I love you," she whispered.

"Only a fraction of how beautiful you are, baby." He said sincerely. Her face blushed, matching the bunch of flowers on the side. He lifted her in his arms and her legs wound around his waist instinctively, her arms moving around his neck as she clung to him tightly. He strode over to the bed and dropped her on it, some of the petals he'd strewn all over the bed floating briefly off the surface as the bed moved. He stared down at her as he stood beside the bed and her beauty really struck him as she lay among the petals. The red colour of the petals enhanced the paleness of her skin and the dark colour of her hair. The silver dress she was wearing also made a good contrast. He walked over to the side and pulled the chilled bottle of champagne from the ice bucket and popped the cork, tipping the bubbly into the two flutes that were next to the ice bucket. After putting the bottle back on ice he carried the two glasses over to Lauren and passed her one of them before lying on the bed next to her.

Lauren took a sip from the glass, loving the feel of the bubbles on her tongue. She couldn't believe the lengths Joey had gone to in making this day special for her. She remembered a conversation they'd had back when this all started and she knew now was the right time to tell him, "You really are my Mr Perfect, Joe." She said softly.

"What do you mean?"

"Do you remember when I told you what kind of guy I usually went for all those weeks ago?" He nodded his head, "I never told you about the kind of guy I was looking for, did I?" This time he shook his head, "I want someone who's going to make me feel like I'm the centre of their universe. A person who's going to be there for me when I really need them and will go the extra mile to do things for me... just because they love me." He smiled at her tenderly, his eyes darkening as she spoke. "I knew all this when we had that conversation... I knew what I wanted. What I didn't realise was that the person I've just described was standing right in front of me at the time... that person is you, Joe. It's like you're a part of me. You know more about me than anyone else in my life... including my parents. You are the perfect guy for me because you make me believe that someone can feel that way about me; that I'm worthy of that love from someone. There have been times when I started to doubt I would ever find my Mr Right... and now I have you." Her words faltered slightly and she bit her lip as she hesitated to say the next bit, "And I don't ever intend on letting you go, Joe..." she whispered.

Joey stared at her, seeing a tear run down her face that his thumb automatically brushed away, "I feel the same way, baby." He told her. "I've never felt this way about any other person in my life... and in a way that scares me a little. At the same time though, I can't imagine you not being in my life."

"What scares you?" she asked tentatively.

It's his turn to hesitate but he finally speaks, after a mouthful of champagne, "You not being here... with me." He whispered. "Of losing you forever... and it breaking my heart. I'm not sure I could cope with that."

"It's never going to happen, Joe. Like I just said I love you too much to let you go..." she said softly, leaning forward and placing her lips on his.

After a few seconds he pulled away from her and took her glass off her as he got to his feet. He turned back to her and held his hand out. She took it and he pulled her to her feet. His mouth met hers again in a tender kiss that left both of them wanting more. Joey's hands were around the back of her dress and he slowly lowered the zip as he stared into her eyes. Lauren let the dress drop to the floor, standing before him in the same red underwear she'd worn in Spain. You know... the night with the chocolate. "Still looks stunning on you..." he whispered, watching the fingers of his right hand as they drifted down from her shoulder, grazing the side of her silk covered breast. He smiled as he heard her inhale sharply at his touch. One quick flick of the wrist was all it took to unclasp her bra and then it joined her dress. Both hands lifted and cupped her boobs, his eyes were fixed on them and if it had been anyone else Lauren would've been mortified but she knew Joey... she knew he had a fascination with her chest. There was a large part of her that loved she was the only person to see this side of him... the attentive lover... the man who adored her and only her. If that meant she had to let him spend some time admiring his favourite part of her body, who was she to argue? And anyway the time he spent in that task usually led to her having spectacular orgasms... the man had fingers to die for and lips that were just as talented.

"You're wearing far too much, Joe..." she whispered, closing her eyes as his thumbs brushed across each peak.

"Maybe you could help me with that..." he murmured.

"Well, if you insist..." she whispered, her hands running up his chest to his collar and starting to unbutton his shirt. She stepped closer to him and kissed his chest, loving the way his skin was so hot against her mouth. She pushed first his jacket and then his shirt off his shoulders, her fingers brushing lightly over the muscles in his arms. She moved to his trousers next and slowly undid them, dragging her fingers lightly over what lay within for a fraction of a second. She knew he was as desperate for this as she was... her body was practically tingling where his hands touched her and she hadn't missed the prominent erection he was sporting... although, truth be told it was pretty hard to miss.

He gasped as she shoved his trousers and boxers down his legs, her fingers wrapping around his length quickly and starting to stroke him. "Baby... stop..." he whispered and she froze. He lifted a hand to her cheek, his thumb caressing it softly. "If you keep up like that... it'll be over really quickly. I want this to be about us... together, baby." He murmured. Joey ran his hands down her sides and stopped at her hips. She was breathing heavily as she stared into his eyes; the sexual tension between the pair was climbing quickly.

"Please Joe..." she sighed, her breath catching as he slipped his fingers beneath the elastic and touched her so softly where she was longing him to; for a fraction of a second she thought she imagined it and then he was back, touching her a little harder and she saw the smile on his face.

"Well there's little doubt you want this, baby..." he whispered, stepping towards her as a finger slid inside her. "So wet..." he breathed, his mouth only fractions away from hers. He withdrew his hand and pushed her knickers down her legs sharply. Lauren kicked them away. Joey lifted her off her feet quickly and dropped her back on the bed, Lauren bursting into giggles as he did so. She brushed her arms out to her sides, sweeping through the petals around her. Staring at him intently but with a smile on her face her hands clutched at some of the petals and she threw them in the air, them falling haphazardly over her body and the bed as gravity took hold. Joey moaned and he was soon crawling up the bed towards her. "So you like your final surprise, baby?" he asked as he hovered over her.

"I keep thinking you can't surprise me anymore then you do something like this and it takes my breath away."

"I promise you I will try and surprise you as often as I can..."

"You don't have to spend loads of money on me, Joe... Don't get me wrong, I appreciate all of this... it's beyond amazing but I'd have been happy with just the two of us in bed."

"I'll keep that in mind..." His eyes ran down her body, "Red certainly suits you, baby." He told her as he looked back up at her face. He lowered his mouth to hers and kissed her deeply, his tongue sweeping into her mouth and brushing against hers. His cock teased her entrance and Lauren kept trying to encourage him to push into her but he resisted each attempt. He pulled his mouth from hers and stared down at her face, looking into her eyes heatedly. Lauren gasped as his fingers brushed her opening gently, his thumb pressing on her clit. "I love you, baby..." he whispered as he placed the tip of his length at her entrance.

"I love you too..." she replied, pulling his face down to hers so she could kiss him, moaning as he edged into her so so slowly. His weight was lying on her and again she was reminded how much she loved them lying like this. He was still moving into her and despite the many times they had made love before the sensation of him stretching her body still felt new. She gasped as he edged deeper and when his hand grasped her knee and pushed it up towards her chest he slid into her even deeper. She moaned his name and her eyes shut as she let the sensation ebb through her. "Do we ever have to stop this, Joe?" she asked him. "I want to stay here in this bed with you for the rest of my life..."

Joey moved a little faster, feeling his peak in his not too distant future. "You'll get no argument from me, baby. I'm sure we would be able to do that if we put our mind to it." Joey rested more of his weight on his arms and his hips moved against her faster, thrusting his length in and out of her body as the desire climbed higher. Lauren's other leg wrapped around his waist and he managed to go deeper in her. That one action was enough to get her to start tightening on him and then her body was pulsing around him and she was crying out his name loudly. He moved faster again, enjoying the way it felt as her body caressed his cock, urging him closer and closer to his peak. He shouted her name as he came before collapsing heavily onto her, only vaguely aware of her murmuring words of love into his shoulder. "I love you too, baby..." he eventually whispered once he'd caught his breath again.

TBC

**A/N: So what did you think? Could Joey get any more perfect? If you think Joey's plans for their time away from the square are over yet... think again!**

**COMING SOON... TO A FAN FIC SITE NEAR YOU... ONE FINE DAY...**


	29. Chapter 29: One Fine Day

**So romantic Joey continues his date with Lauren. Could he get any better? I think he's about to out Clooney George! I hope you like it as much as Lauren does. Enjoy!**

**Chapter 29: One Fine Day.**

Lauren smiled as she woke up the next morning, feeling the familiar strong arms wrapped around her from behind. Her eyes drifted around the room and saw the mess they'd made after they returned from the theatre. There were red rose petals everywhere and she decided they would need to try and clear them up a bit before they left. It had been a long night too, with Joey not blowing out the candles that were scattered around the room until nearly three in the morning. She wasn't surprised he was still asleep, if anything she was surprised she was awake. She couldn't believe how well she'd slept... Yes, okay Joey had pretty much exhausted her but in the end she knew it was mainly because she was sleeping next to him. He made her feel safe and loved and that was more than enough for her. And really, what more could she want?

Being as careful as she could Lauren turned in his arms so she could see him. Fortunately he was quite a heavy sleeper so she didn't wake him. She snuggled closer to him, feeling his arms tighten around her as he slept which made her smile. She could hear his heart beating, the steady sound of it so reassuring to her. She tensed slightly as she remembered standing outside the B&B almost two weeks ago, not knowing if he was okay.

"What's wrong, baby?" he said, his voice deeper than normal because he'd only just woken up.

"Just thinking..." she whispered, turning her head slightly and kissing his chest.

He was silent for a few seconds, "Talk to me, baby."

"I was thinking about what happened... at the B&B... how I nearly lost you." She whispered, tears pooling in her eyes as she let her mind follow down that path.

"But you didn't..." he told her softly, his hand lifting and brushing the side of her face.

"I know... but it was pretty close. I should've told you how I felt beforehand... We wasted so much time."

He rolled them so he was lying on top of her and stared into her eyes. "Part of me is glad you hadn't told me. Do you know why?" She shook her head, frowning slightly after hearing what he'd said. "If we'd already got together, I know you would've been in my room with me... and I hate to think what might've happened then." He told her softly. "At the very least our family would've found out... along with the rest of the square. And while I have no problem with them knowing about us, I want it to be our decision when they find out."

Lauren stared up at him. She had underestimated him once again. "I hadn't thought of it like that..." she murmured. She squeezed her eyes shut as she imagined her family's faces if events had happened as Joey had just said.

"Hey baby..." he whispered, leaning down and pecking her lips with his. "Don't think about the past... we're together now and that's all we need to concentrate on. Everything else will sort itself out." He told her gently.

"I wish we could stay here forever. I don't want to go home... back to reality."

"I wish we could too, baby..." he breathed. "We just need to enjoy the time we have together while we can. Things will change." He promised her, "One day we won't have to hide it anymore... we'll be able to be together all the time."

"I hope so, Joe." She looked deeply into his eyes, "Can we spend the day together... before I go back to Walford?" she asked.

"Course we can, baby... what do you want to do?"

"I don't mind. I just want to be with you. I want to be able to hold your hand and kiss you without risking anyone seeing us."

"I think we can manage that..." His hands drifted down her body and then gripped her hips, "But first I need to remind my girl how much I adore her." It only took one small thrust of his hips and he was buried inside her once more. He stilled his movements and slowly lowered his full weight onto her.

"I love you, Joe..." she whispered, smiling as her arms wrapped around his neck.

"And I love you..." he breathed as his mouth lowered to hers again. Her body arched against his almost as soon as his hips slowly began to move, his length stroking in and out of her.

"I love you... I love you... I love you..." she whispered as she moved beneath him, trying to urge him to speed things up. Joey rolled onto his side, pulling Lauren with him and his hands drifted to cup her ass, pushing into her deeper and holding still. "Why are you stopping?"

"Just wanting to relocate..." he whispered with a smile, kissing her forehead. "Hold tight, baby." He said and she did as he told her to. Slowly he moved them from the bed and strode towards the bathroom. Somehow he managed to start running the water into the bathtub and poured bubble bath under the flow of water without dropping her or slipping from her body. He turned and walked to the sink, putting her on the edge of it. Lauren leant her body back against the mirror behind her, her expression softening as she gazed at his face. He started to brush in and out of her again, his speed much faster now and they were both soon breathless. "Come for me, Lauren..." he said, his fingers tightening their grip on her hips. "And take me with you, baby." He added in a whisper. Lauren slid her hand down her body and pressed her fingertips on her clit, knowing it would be all she would need to throw her over the precipice. She pressed again and her body exploded, a scream falling from her lips as she tilted her head back. Her body clamped down on his length and it pushed him over the edge, his cock pulsing inside her as he came hard. Joey buried his face in her neck, his mouth sucking gently on her soft skin as he marked her as his. Lauren ran her fingers through his hair, knowing what he was doing and liking that for the next few hours she didn't need to worry about hiding it.

Joey leant against her as they both struggled for breath until Lauren glanced around the room. "Joey, the bath..." He turned his head and saw the water getting close to the top of the bath. He pulled away from Lauren, both of them sighing as his length slipped from her body. He turned the taps off and let some of the water back out. Once that was done he turned to her and held his hand out towards her. Lauren slid off the sink and took the couple of steps to him, lacing her fingers through his. "Join me..." she whispered as he helped her step into the bath. He smiled at her and then also climbed in.

Once he was sat down Joey reached for her and pulled her down onto his lap. Lauren curled up against him, resting her head on his chest. They sat in silence for some time, not needing to fill the empty space. They were just enjoying this time with each other. "We need to leave here soon..." Joey eventually whispered to her.

"What time do we have to check out?"

"By midday..."

Lauren pressed her body closer to him, not liking the thought of their time together coming to an end. "I won't have to be home till this evening so what do you want to do after we leave here?"

"I'll have a look on my mobile when we're getting ready." He whispered, kissing the side of her head. His hand brushed over her body, revelling in touching her soft skin and feeling her nudge even closer to him, if that was at all possible. Her hand brushed his chest and cupped the back of his neck as her head tilted back. Her mouth was sucking on the crook of his neck and it gave him a thrill as he felt her mark him. He didn't care that he would have to hide it. He loved knowing that every time he saw it in the mirror he would know how much she loved him.

*JL*JL*

Joey was sitting on the bed, waiting for Lauren to be ready. She had gone back into the bathroom once she was dry, her bag with her and she'd locked the door behind her too. He had dressed hurriedly and had cleared up as many of the petals as he could find. He also put all the candles in one place and had tidied up the champagne and flutes. He was now sitting and looking at his mobile... looking for something they could do for the rest of the day. He noticed the time and got to his feet, "Baby... we really need to leave... it's half eleven already." The door unlocked and she walked through. She looked stunning as always. She was only wearing her jeans and a top. Her hair was tied back in a high ponytail and her make-up was done naturally but Joey realised what it was that made her look so beautiful. It was the magnificent smile on her face as she looked at him. It was also the lack of tension on her face. She looked completely relaxed and he hoped she could keep that off her face for a few days more.

"I'm ready, Joe." She said softly.

Joey picked up her coat and helped her ease it onto her body. "You look beautiful, baby." He told her. He could see the blush spread down her neck and he chuckled at her. He took her bag off her and picked up his own. "Come on..."

"Where are we going?"

"You'll see." He said with a smile.

"Joe," she sighed.

"What?"

"You don't need to keep surprising me." She said as he led her out of the room.

"But I want to. I like doing it." He told her gently. They stopped at the reception so they could check out. Lauren cheeks flushed again as she saw the receptionist look at her slyly as Joey paid the bill. She daren't even look to see how much that was... but when he turned to her she rose on her tiptoes and placed a gentle kiss on his lips, surprising him a little. As they walked out of the hotel he smirked at her, squeezing her hand, "Were you jealous, baby?" he asked.

"No!" She said, just a little too quickly.

"I think you were, Lauren." He teased.

"I just didn't like the way she was looking at us both."

"She?"

"The receptionist..."

"So you were marking your territory?" he asked.

"I did that this morning... I was just letting her know you were taken."

"She knew that already, baby." Joey turned to face her, "There's only one girl in my life and I'm looking right at her." He dropped their bags on the floor beside them and his hand brushed the side of her face softly as he kissed her.

"There's no harm in me making sure she knew that." She told him. He smiled at her before bending down to pick up their bags again, taking her hand in his free one and pulling her down the street. "Where are we going?" she asked.

"It's just down here." They walked a little further down the Strand, back past the theatre from the night before. He stopped them outside a building. He pulled her across the courtyard as Lauren gazed around.

"Joe... what are we doing here?"

"There's an art gallery. I thought we could go and see it."

"But you don't like art..."

"I don't dislike it... and you love it."

"We should do something we both like." She told him.

"I want to go to the gallery with you. I want to see your face when you see the pictures... and I love you, so I want to do this."

She stared at him and all she could see was the truth in his words. "Okay." She whispered. They went inside and Joey purchased tickets for them both, also finding somewhere they could store their bags. They walked around the gallery, pausing in front of each picture as Lauren gazed at them.

"I'll be back in a minute, baby." He told her softly after a while. "I just need to go to the loo."

"I'll be right here." She said, still staring at the picture they were standing in front of. He kissed her gently and walked away.

*JL*JL*

Joey was walking back to Lauren when something caught his eye. He walked over to the desk and picked up the book, flicking through the first few pages.

"Seen something you're interested in?" said a voice behind him.

Joey turned his head and saw a tall blonde walking towards him. "Maybe..." he admitted, his attention drawn back to the book. He looked at her again, waving this in her direction. "Is this for real?"

"Of course..." she told him and he could see she was flirting with him.

Not that he was interested. "That's great. Do you know where I could get an application form?" he asked.

The blonde nodded her head down the corridor, "The office down there should be able to help."

"Thanks." He started to walk in the direction she'd directed him without a second glance at her. Five minutes later he was walking back towards the love of his life, a slight smile on his face. He hid both the book and form inside his jacket and walked into the room, finding Lauren still stood in front of the same picture. "I'm back..." he whispered in her ear, wrapping an arm around her waist.

"You were a while..." she whispered, turning to look at him.

"Yeah, something caught my eye." He kissed her neck tenderly, "Anything else you want to see, baby?"

"No, I'm done." She turned to face him and kissed him again. "What now?"

"How about going ice skating?" he asked. "They've got a rink outside and I thought it was something we could do together."

"I can't skate..." she whispered.

"I'll keep you on your feet..." he said softly.

"You skate?"

"I've been a few times. I'm not an expert but I can just about stay upright." He smiled at her, "I'll look after you though... I always protect the ones I love, baby."

Her face darkened in colour but she smiled at him, lifting a hand and brushing the side of his face tenderly, "I know." She placed a brief kiss on his mouth, "Let's go skating." She breathed against his lips.

*JL*JL*

To say Lauren was nervous as she made her way to the edge of the rink was an understatement. She was clutching Joey's hand tightly. They'd just reached the ice when a voice spoke to them, "Hello again."

"Hi," Joey said.

Lauren turned her head and saw a beautiful blonde staring at Joey. Her hackles instantly rose. "Joey?" she asked him softly.

"I bumped into her earlier, baby. She told me the directions." He tightened his hold on her hand, "Let's skate..." he said, taking one step onto the ice before turning to look at Lauren, "You coming?" She glanced again at the girl who was still watching Joey and she took a deep breath and stepped forward onto the ice. She should've mentally prepared herself but it surprised her when her right foot kept moving and she let out a cry of shock. Joey pulled her against his body, smiling at her, "Easy, baby." He said. She pouted at his teasing but it disappeared when he dipped his head and kissed her softly. "You have nothing to worry about, baby." He reassured her.

"What makes you think I was worried?"

"You're tense... and I know you, better than you think I do sometimes." He stared deep into her eyes, "I probably spoke to her for a minute at most..."

"Okay." She said, feeling better. "So, how do I do this then?" she asked, lowering her head to look at her feet.

"Just hold my hands. Didn't you ever roller skate when you were younger?"

"Yeah... but I wasn't very good. Rubbish sense of balance."

"You seem to manage in those killer heels you usually wear..." he said softly, skating backwards with ease. His hands tugged on hers and she wobbled wildly, taking two tentative steps forwards.

"I'm not sure about this, Joe."

"Give it a few minutes, baby. It'll get easier, I promise. You just need to relax."

"Easier said than done..." she muttered.

*JL*JL*

It took about fifteen minutes before Lauren felt a little more confident. She wouldn't let go of Joey's hands but she wasn't gripping as tightly to them either. "You're going well, baby." He told her and she smiled at him, finally starting to enjoy what they were doing.

"This is fun." She said.

"You ready to try this side by side?" he asked and it brought all the tension back. "Hey..." he said, stopping their movement on the ice, "I won't let you fall, Lauren." He pulled her against him and kissed her deeply. His arms were wound around her waist and when they pulled apart he moved so he was standing at her side, one arm still holding her waist, "I've still got you..." he said gently. He pushed forward again, pulling a slightly wobbly Lauren along with him.

"I'm not sure about this, Joe..." she said, her hand reaching for the one that wasn't around her waist and taking it into a vice-like grip again.

"Trust me, baby." He said.

"I do... it's these skates and my balance I'm concerned about."

"You're doing fine," he reassured her. "I'm proud of you."

"For going skating...?" she asked him incredulously.

"For trying something new..." he said. She smiled at him and lowered her head, concentrating on what she was doing.

*JL*JL*

"I'm exhausted," Lauren told Joey ninety minutes after first stepping on the ice. She could hardly move. The tension she'd had in her body throughout the time on the ice had tired her more than she'd realised.

Joey had finished taking his skates off and he moved to kneel in front of her and started to remove hers from her feet. "Did you have a good time?" he asked softly.

"Yeah..." she smiled at him, "I could've taken them off, you know."

"You said you were tired..." Her skates were off now and he was holding one of her feet in each hand at the ankle. His thumbs stroked her skin beneath her jeans and Lauren closed her eyes, moaning softly.

"I don't want to go home yet..." she whispered when she opened her eyes a couple of minutes later.

"Me either... but your parents will be wondering where you are."

"I know." She couldn't help the tears that filled her eyes and his thumb brushed some of them away. Lauren turned her head into his hand, nuzzling it gently then placing a kiss on his palm. "Will you walk me to the station?"

"I can go part of the journey with you." He told her and her smile grew. Lauren bent forward and pulled on her boots.

"Let's go then." She said as she stood.

"Suddenly eager to get rid of me?" he said.

"Not at all... but I figured the sooner we part for the night, the quicker you'll be back with me tomorrow." Joey smiled at her.

Within ten minutes they were leaving Somerset House and walking back towards Charing Cross tube station. They got on the tube and after a quick change to get onto the District Line they were heading towards Walford. Lauren leant against Joey as they stood on the train. Her face was buried in his shoulder and she was breathing in his scent deeply. "I love you, baby." He whispered to her.

"I know you do. If I'd had any doubts before yesterday, which I didn't, they would all be gone now." She said to him softly. The train pulled into a station and Lauren glanced to see where they were. Monument. "When do you need to get off?" she asked.

"Mile End." He told her.

Her arms tightened around his waist and he kissed her forehead gently, his lips remaining pressed against her skin. "I don't want you to go..." she whispered.

"I'll call you or text you this evening. You can call me anytime, baby."

*JL*JL*

At the station before Mile End Joey pulled Lauren close and kissed her... a kiss that deepened naturally as they got lost in the moment. His hands were cupping each side of her head and she moaned when he eventually pulled his mouth from hers, both panting slightly as they battled for breath. His forehead rested against hers and he closed his eyes. Now was the most difficult part of the whole day. Leaving her. "I love you so much, baby." He breathed.

"Love you too." She told him. The train slowed down and they gradually pulled apart, both resigned to what was about to happen.

When it stopped Joey bent down and picked up his bag. He kissed Lauren's forehead softly, knowing if he was to kiss her properly he would miss his stop. "I'll speak to you later, baby."

He was gone seconds later and the train was moving again. Lauren breathed deeply, feeling a pain welling in her chest that was a familiar feeling these days. She pulled her scarf tighter around her neck and tried to rein in her emotions before she had to get off the train. Something told her it was going to be a long night.

*JL*JL*

Abi was out for the night so Lauren was up in her room, waiting for Joey to call her. She was watching her mobile and had been for about five minutes. Her leg was twitching as she sat on her bed, her knees pulled up to her chest and she could hear her heart beating loudly in her chest. A smile broke across her face as she saw the screen light up and his name and picture showing up. She answered it quickly. "Hey Joe." She whispered.

"Are you okay to talk?" he asked.

"Yes."

"Thanks for letting me know you got home okay..." he told her softly.

"I knew you would worry if I didn't." She told him. "I miss you..." She chuckled, "I guess that sounds silly when it's only been a couple of hours. And after all the time we've been apart in the last couple of months..." her words faded.

"It's not silly because I feel exactly the same."

"How's your mum?"

"She's good. Glad to see that I'm okay... she's pleased that I'm happy too. She's looking forward to meeting you, baby."

"I want to meet her too. You and Alice make her sound amazing."

"She is a great mum." He said, "She makes up for the lousy father we were lumbered with."

"I'm sure she does."

"I got something for you while we were out earlier..." he told her softly.

"What?" she whispered.

"It's in your bag..." he told her. Lauren scrambled to her feet and rushed to the bag she'd dumped on her desk when she got home. She held the phone between the jaw and shoulder and unzipped the bag. Inside, at the top of the bag, was a form and book.

"What is it?" she asked as she pulled them out.

"It's an application form..." he told her softly.

"I don't understand."

"There's also a prospectus for the art college at the gallery. I thought maybe you could apply to do an art degree."

"I'm not good enough to go to college, Joe." She breathed.

"You are, baby. I've seen your drawings."

"You have? When?"

"Before I told you how I felt I sneaked into your house. I was trying to get some idea of how you felt. I found your sketchpad. I saw the drawings of your family... of me."

"Joe..." she whispered in embarrassment.

"They are so fucking good, baby. If I had half your talent I would be really proud."

"I'm not good enough to do a degree in it though." She said.

"You'll never know if you don't apply." He said softly. "I think you're good enough and I'm sure they will too. You told me you didn't know what you wanted to do with your life. I think you do, you just lack the confidence to do it."

"You really think I'd be good enough?"

"Of course I do, baby. Trust me... your pictures are amazing." She could hear in his voice that he was smiling and she could almost picture him in her mind. "You should do something you love, baby."

"I do..." she giggled, "As often as we can."

"Cute, baby."

"Can I think about it?"

"You should. The cut off date for applications is in February... you've got a while to think things through. You can talk to me about it at any time."

"Thanks Joe." She whispered.

They talked for about an hour before eventually ending the call and Lauren went to bed shortly after, having been tired out by the last two days. She was smiling as she lay in bed, thinking through the day she'd just had. It really had been almost perfect. Perfection would've been if she was lying in Joey's arms right now but if she closed her eyes she could almost imagine he was with her. She hugged the duvet around her, trying to manufacture the warmth she would usually receive when in his arms... but she didn't quite pull it off. Her phone beeped and she smiled as she picked up her mobile and saw it was a text message from Joey.

_Thank you for the perfect day, baby. I'm missing you but I'm looking forward to seeing you tomorrow morning. I hope there is no one around when I get back because I'm planning on fucking you against the wall in your hallway. J x_

Her smile grew and she quickly typed a response.

_I'm missing you too and I look forward to you putting your plan into action. I love you more than I've loved anyone, Joe... I wish you were here with me now. I'll see you in a few hours. Sleep well. L x_

TBC

**A/N: Let me know what you thought? So what do you want to see next? Do you think Joey will be able to put his plan into action?**

**COMING SOON... TO A FAN FIC SITE NEAR YOU... THE WEDDING DATE... Intrigued?**


	30. Chapter 30: The Wedding Date

**Glad people liked the last chapter. Joey is definitely making sure Lauren knows how much she means to him. Enjoy!**

**Chapter 30: The Wedding Date.**

Lauren read the message on her phone in shock and she didn't hear the front door open. There was a cough from the doorway and Lauren's head turned towards it quickly, smiling as she saw who it was. She jumped up and ran towards him, practically throwing herself at him. They were kissing moments later and then Joey was pressing her back against the hallway wall, much like he'd promised.

"Are we alone?" he whispered. She nodded. "I take it you're pleased to see me then?"

"Course I am, Joe."

"You seemed in a world of your own when I got back..."

"We can talk about that later... wasn't there something you were planning on doing?" she said with a smirk.

"I see you dressed up for the occasion..." he teased, glancing down at the pyjamas she was still wearing.

She shrugged, "I figured you were planning on taking everything off me anyway."

"Good point... well made, baby." He shoved his hand into her pyjama bottoms and brushed his fingers over her opening, causing her to moan.

"Joe..." she whimpered, her hips shifting against him, trying to urge him on.

He withdrew his hand and yanked down her pyjamas. He quickly moved to his jeans and shoved them and his boxers down to his knees. Lauren could see he was more than ready for what he had planned. It took her breath away when he pushed into her in one smooth movement, getting nice and deep. "I hope you're ready for this, baby?"

"Ready and willing..." she said, smiling at him.

He set a quick pace, each thrust of his hips pushing her further into the wall. Lauren lifted her feet off the floor, winding them around his waist. The thrill of possibly getting caught affecting them both. Joey pulled her arms from around his neck and entwined their hands together, lifting each arm above her head and pressing them against the wall. She was moaning constantly now and Joey could feel her body already climbing to its peak. "Baby... come for me..." he whispered.

Lauren looked into Joey's eyes, seeing the desire shining from them. She was so close, it wouldn't take much to push her past the point of no return. "Nearly there," she gasped.

Joey kissed her, his tongue dancing with hers as the movement of his hips became even more sporadic. He tore his mouth from hers as he came, the sensation of his cock throbbing within her pushing Lauren to scream his name, her body convulsing around him. As she tried to catch her breath she clung to him, his body pressing her against the wall and the only thing still keeping her upright. "We should go upstairs." He told her softly.

"Take me to your room..." she said.

Pulling from her he lowered her legs to the floor and rearranged his clothes on his body. He watched as Lauren picked up her previously discarded pyjama bottoms. She put her arms around his neck and he lifted her off the floor, walking her up the stairs to his room as he kissed her tenderly.

*JL*JL*

Lauren was in her favourite place in the world. She was once again in Joey's arms and had been for a while. It had been nearly three hours since Joey came home and they had made love two more times since going up to Joey's room.

"What had you so distracted earlier?" he asked her softly.

"I had a text from Whit." She said. She turned in his arms so she was looking at him. "Her and Tyler are getting married on New Year's Day. She was inviting me to the wedding... and asking me to be her bridesmaid."

"That's nice..." he said.

"Will you be my date at the wedding?" Lauren whispered. Joey stared at her intently. "Obviously no one else will know that... but I'd like it if, between us at least, you were my date."

"You don't even have to ask, baby." He said, his fingers running down her spine causing her to shiver.

"I just wasn't sure if you'd think it was a bit of a risk..." she admitted.

"It's a risk that's worth taking... I want to be the one at your side, baby."

"Good..." she whispered. "Will it be a problem with work? I know you go back the night before..."

"It'll be fine." He smiled at her, "Does this mean I get to see you in a bridesmaid dress?"

She nodded, "Yeah, we're going tomorrow... She's chosen the dress and told them my size... they just need check it fits and alter it if necessary." she whispered.

"It's a bit last minute," he said.

"I know... but hopefully the dress will fit me okay." She said.

"Anything you wear will look stunning... like normal." Her face went a little pink at his compliment, "Just remember you're not supposed to outshine the bride." He told her with a smile.

"I don't think there's much danger of that."

Joey hugged her against his body, pressing his lips against her hair, "I wouldn't be so sure, baby. You've definitely got my vote." He whispered to her.

TBC

**A/N: I think the timing has gone a bit wonky with these few chapters... but just go with it. So what did you think? How sweet was Joey at the end...?**

**COMING SOON... TO A FAN FIC SITE NEAR YOU... MY BEST FRIEND'S WEDDING...** well it seems only right, considering this chapter.


	31. Chapter 31: My Best Friend's Wedding

**So I've been bribed into posting another chapter tonight - you can thank (or not...) Lozxtitchx for that... especially when I tell you there won't be an update tomorrow (even if someone managed to convince Joey (or David) to arrive on my doorstep and sweep me off my feet)... so... Enjoy!**

**Chapter 31: My Best Friend's Wedding.**

It was New Year's Day and Lauren was the first person up in the Branning house. She got up at six in the morning which was unheard of for her but she had a lot to do today. She was making some coffee when she heard footsteps on the stairs. She wasn't sure who it could be and was surprised when she saw Joey come into the room.

"What are you doing up? You've only been home for about four hours..." she said, smiling as she saw him yawn and stretch, her eyes running over his frame in appreciation as he did so. It really should be illegal for someone to look that good on just a few hours sleep.

He walked over to her and pulled her against him, her head resting on his bare chest, "I wanted to see you before you went." He told her, "And I wanted to do this..." he said, bending down and kissing her softly. "I may not get a chance later... so I thought I should start the day off right."

"You're such a romantic, Joe..." she whispered, "If everyone knew the real you... they'd be so surprised."

"Only for you, baby." He told her softly. "What time have you got to be at Whit's?" he asked.

"At seven. Poppy's coming over to do our hair and make-up and we've got to leave for the church at ten."

"Three hours to get ready?"

"Well there are two of us, plus Bianca and Carol for Poppy to do and a masterpiece takes a long time to perfect, Joe."

"Some do, I'm sure but I think you're the exception to the case." He kissed her gently on the lips again.

The kettle boiled behind her and she turned in his arms to pour two mugs of coffee. She turned and passed one to him, "You're such a charmer..." she whispered as she took a sip, her cheeks heating.

"A charmer and a romantic..." he winked at her, "If you're lucky, I'll try and prove what else I am to you later, baby."

She smiled, her cheeks reddening further. Only Joey could ever get this reaction out of her. She watched as he tried to hide a yawn. "Go back to bed, babe... I want you to be awake later today. And I'm looking forward to seeing you in your suit." She whispered. "Although I like the look you're going for right now too."

"See you later, baby." He said before turning and leaving the kitchen. Lauren couldn't help but watch his ass as he walked away from her and she had to take a deep breath before she set about getting ready herself. Like I said... illegal...

*JL*JL*

Lauren stood with Whitney outside the church and she was making sure her best friend's dress was immaculate. "You look amazing, Lauren..." Whitney said, "You're practically glowing... I don't know what it is in the last few weeks but you seem really happy."

Lauren paused what she was doing and tilted her head as she looked at her friend, "I am happy..." There was no way she could hide the smile on her face.

"Is it still the same guy?" Whit asked, finally asking the question that she'd been dying to ask for ages.

Lauren nodded, "Yeah... but it's more serious now." She admitted shyly.

"In what way?"

"I love him, Whit..." Lauren whispered. "I've never felt this way before... about anyone."

Whitney stepped closer to her friend and placed her hands on Lauren's bare shoulders, "I look forward to meeting him, Lauren... whenever you're ready for that to happen." She smiled at her, "I'm really glad you've found someone who makes you happy and I hope he treats you the way you deserve to be."

"He does, Whit. He spoils me rotten..." she said. She glanced at the church and heard the music changing. "It's time for you to go and get hitched, babe." She said.

"Let's get this show on the road then."

*JL*JL*

Lauren walked before her friend down the aisle. It felt like everyone was staring at her, although in truth they were probably looking at Whitney not her, but it was only one pair of eyes that mattered to Lauren. She risked a glance at Joey and saw his eyes locked on her. She could see the desire on his face and she was pretty sure the dress was a hit. She turned her attention back to the task at hand and continued walking towards Tyler.

*JL*JL*

Lauren was pretty sure she'd never had to smile as much as she had in the last hour. Now most of her friends would say that smiling wasn't normally her thing... unless it was sarcastically smirking anyway but today she couldn't keep the smile off her face. And there was one very good reason for that. The photographer was getting very snap happy and being bridesmaid she was in a lot of the photos. She could see Joey standing behind the photographer and he was the very good reason she was smiling so naturally. She wished she could be standing with him though. Just being near him was what she really needed right now.

Finally she was released from photographic hell and she scampered off towards where Joey stood with Alice and their other friends.

"Lauren, you look amazing," Alice said, pulling her into a hug.

"Thanks Al." She said. She saw Lucy scowling at her, turning towards Tamwar, her back to Lauren. Lauren chose to ignore her though, not letting her attitude spoil Whit and Tyler's day.

Her sister appeared at her side, "Lauren..." she said, hugging her tightly, "I'm so proud of you, Lauren," she whispered in her ear. "You look really beautiful."

"Thanks Abs." Lauren said. All this attention was beginning to get to her and she wished it was just her and Joe. Talking of Joe, he hadn't said anything to her yet and she wondered why that was. Maybe she was wrong about what he thought when she'd seen him earlier.

"We ought to be getting to the reception." Fatboy said. "We've probably got room for you, baby girl, if you'd like? It'd be a bit of a squeeze but we can make room."

"I've got a car, I can drive you, Lauren," Joey said softly.

"I'll go with Joe, Fats." Lauren said, watching her friends stroll away a minute or two later. She turned to Joey once they were alone, "Where did you get the car from?"

"Your dad lent it to me. Your parents are coming to the reception this evening so he said I could borrow a car from the lot so you could get to the reception easily." He crooked his arm and held it out towards her, smiling when she placed her hand on it. He led her towards the car park and opened the passenger door for her, holding her hand as she carefully climbed into the car. He scooted round to the driver's side and got in. Once he was there he paused. Most of the cars had left already so they were almost alone. "Can I just tell you how fucking beautiful you are, baby." He said softly, his hand reaching for hers and squeezing it as he stared at her face.

Lauren turned her head and looked at him intently, "Thanks." She murmured. She watched as Joey looked around before leaning forward and kissing her.

"That dress..." he whispered. "You are stunning in it, Lauren but then you look stunning in anything you wear... and when you wear nothing at all..."

She smirked at him, "You should see what I'm wearing underneath." She said, wiggling her eyebrows at him. "You look pretty good yourself, Joe... loving the suit."

"Glad I meet up to your expectations..." he said.

"You always do, babe..." she said, smiling at him tenderly.

"We'd better get to the reception," he said, clearing his throat and fiddling with the collar of his shirt. Lauren smiled, knowing she'd just embarrassed him. Something that was not an easy feat.

*JL*JL*

The evening party of the reception was in full swing and the number of guests had increased since the afternoon. Lauren had sat beside Joey for the wedding breakfast. As the number of guests had been kept to a select few... just close friends and immediate family, they had all sat around one table. Lauren had been aware of Lucy watching her several times throughout the meal but she chose to ignore the barbed comments and no one had noticed that she wasn't drinking... apart from Joey. No one noticed that his hand was on her thigh, squeezing it gently every now and again either.

Now the party had really started, Fatboy was at the decks and people were beginning to dance. It was nice for there to be a wedding where there was no drama. It was certainly a rare occurrence in the borough of Walford that was for sure.

"Can I have this dance?" Joey whispered to her. She smiled at him and he got to his feet and held his hand out towards her. As they made their way onto the dance floor the music changed and a slow song started. Joey pulled Lauren against him, her head resting on his chest, her arms slipping beneath his jacket and around his waist. Joey's hands settled on her hips, feeling it was the safest place to put them without either of them getting carried away. They danced slowly, both locked in their thoughts.

"Don't you two look close?" a voice said to Lauren's right and she lifted her head and turned it towards her. It was Lucy.

"Is there something you want to say, Lucy?" Lauren asked.

"No... Why would I have anything to say?"

"You've been sniping at me all day?" she replied.

"I'm just wondering where your Mr. Wonderful is...? Or has he ended it with you and that's why you're dancing like a saddo with your cousin."

"Lucy!" Joey growled.

"I'm not doing this here, Luce... I'm not letting you ruin Whitney's special day." Lauren said, pulling herself from Joey's arms and turning to stalk off.

"I don't know what your problem is, Lucy... but that was totally uncalled for." Joey said. He turned to follow after his girlfriend but saw her talking to her parents so he went to the bar instead. He brought them both a drink and then went over to Max, Tanya and Lauren and gave her the drink he'd just bought. His aunt and uncle watched as Lauren took a large gulp from her glass and he knew they were both assuming she was drinking vodka. Lauren finished her drink and turned to go back to the bar to get another.

"Don't you think you should slow down, babe?" Max said when she returned.

Lauren glared at him, deliberately taking another large swig from the glass which made Joey smile into his diet coke. "Lauren, please don't make a drama at your friend's wedding." Tanya hissed and Lauren rolled her eyes.

She watched as her parents both shared a look. She thrust her glass towards her dad, "Have a sip..." she snapped.

"Babe... we just want to make sure you don't make a scene."

"Drink it!" she said, her voice firm.

Max reluctantly took the glass from her and took a sip. His eyebrows rose as he realised she was drinking water and he looked at his wife before passing the glass back to his daughter. "Its water..." he said softly.

"But it's nice to know how little you both think of me. Thanks for that, by the way." She passed the glass to Joey and stormed out of the room, needing to get some fresh air and some time to calm down. She didn't want to do something to spoil the day for her friends.

"We didn't realise..." Tanya said, glancing at her nephew, shame written across her face.

"No..." He stared at them both before going on, "She hasn't had anything to drink today." Joey explained softly. "I'll go and check she's okay."

"Tell her we're sorry, Joey." Tanya said.

"I'll tell her."

*JL*JL*

Joey walked out of the building, looking around to try and find Lauren. It was several minutes before he managed to find her. She was leaning against a wall around the side of the building. "You okay?"

"Mmm..." she said softly. "I supposed I've got no one to blame but myself." She said, a hint of self-loathing in her voice.

"Why?" he asked, leaning against the wall so he was facing her.

"I'm normally the one who can be relied on to create a scene so I suppose it's not a surprise they would jump to that conclusion." She glanced at him and he didn't miss the tears in her eyes, "I just didn't think it would be my parents making the accusations." A tear rolled down her face, "I thought they would back me up. I wasn't even acting drunk."

"I know, baby... They are sorry for what they said..." His hand reached up and he brushed away her tear. "You know I'll always back you up."

"I know that, Joe... I couldn't have stopped the drinking without your help anyway." She admitted.

"Can I ask why you've never told anyone?" he asked gently, stepping closer to her and putting his arm around her waist.

"I didn't want it to become this big thing where everyone's watching and waiting for me to fail." She whispered, turning her head and looking at him.

Joey pulled her against his body, his hand brushing up and down her back. "I'm proud of you for doing it, baby." He whispered to her.

"I don't know what Lucy's problem is either." She muttered. "Things have been off with her for months now. She always makes these little digs at me... I don't know what I've done to provoke it. It pisses me off though. I really had to bite my tongue earlier not to react to the way she behaved and what she said."

"I think she's jealous, baby."

"Why would she be jealous of me?"

"Because you're everything she isn't and she knows it."

Lauren sighed, "I'm just tired of all the drama. I want my life to be simple." She said.

"It will be baby, I'll make sure of it, I promise." He kissed the top of her head, "Do you want to go back inside?"

"Actually, I'd really like to go home. I'm not really in the mood for a party and if I stay here I'll probably get drunk. Will you take me?" She looked up at his face.

"Course I will... You should go back inside and say goodbye to Whit and Tyler though. I'll let your parents know what's happening."

She rose on tiptoes and kissed him softly. "Thanks Joe." She breathed against his lips. They walked back inside and Lauren made her way over to the bride and groom, "Hey guys... I'm heading off." She told them softly. "It's been an amazing day. Thanks for asking me to be bridesmaid, Whit... it means so much to me." She hugged her best friend tightly, squeezing her eyes shut as she struggled with the emotions she was still feeling from what had just happened.

"You okay, babe?" she asked her softly, seeing something on her friends face that worried her.

"Yeah... I'm fine." She lied.

"I meant what I said earlier, babe," Whitney said. "I am glad you're happy, Lauren." She frowned as she looked at Lauren, "Are you sure you're okay?"

Lauren nodded but she couldn't quite look into the eyes of her friend. Joey walked up at that moment, "You ready to go, Lauren?" he asked softly. Lauren nodded. Joey shook Tyler's hand, congratulating him on their marriage. He kissed Whitney softly on the cheek. "Thanks for inviting me to your day," he told them both. He put his arm around Lauren loosely, "Come on, let's get you home..." he said gently, leading her from the room back to the car.

*JL*JL*

Lauren and Joey walked into the lounge of number 5. Lauren kicked off her shoes and slumped onto the couch. Joey sat beside her, lifting her feet and placing them on his lap. His fingers began to rub her feet softly. She was leant back against the side of the couch and had her eyes closed, moaning as his fingers worked their magic. Joey pushed the satin of her dress up her legs, his hands working higher to massage her legs and she moaned again in appreciation. "I want you, babe..." he told her in a whisper.

Lauren opened one eye to look at him and saw the heat in his eyes. "I can't be bothered to go upstairs." She stated.

"There's always here..." he suggested.

"You're that desperate...?"

"I've wanted you since I saw you walking down the aisle this morning." He admitted. "You wouldn't believe the restraint I've had to show today to not throw you to the floor and fuck you in front of everyone."

Lauren's face heated at his words and they sent a shiver down her back. She shifted on the couch, moving to her knees and pushing her dress further up her legs so she could straddle his lap. "There's part of me that would've loved you to try that. I can just imagine their faces."

"So do I get to take this dress off you now?" he asked.

"Later... I need you now, Joe." She rose up onto her knees again and pulled the dress up to her waist, "Underwear..." she said in a whisper.

Like her dress, the underwear was dark purple and oh so small. Joey knew if he wasn't careful he would tear it and something told him he would want to save these for another time. As slow as either of them had patience for he pushed them down her legs, his eyes noticing that it was a thong he was removing. That thought made the blood pound in a certain part of his anatomy a little stronger. Her hands settled on the belt of his trousers and she was soon pulling his cock from his boxers. Lauren quickly lowered herself on him, both of them groaning as the day of being together but holding back how they felt about each other was finally released. Lauren leant forward and placed her lips on his, the kiss igniting the passion between them quickly. "Joey..." she whimpered.

Joey moved his mouth to her neck, kissing it softly. He smiled as he saw the faint mark from their night away hidden by make-up. He sucked on the same spot, biting softly at the skin and pulling it into his mouth, darkening the bruise a little. His mouth moved lower, kissing down her chest until his lips were caressing the upper curve of a breast. She moaned, her hands caressing the back of his head, holding it in place as he brushed his lips across her skin.

Lauren's fingers brushed over his shirt, carefully undoing the buttons until his chest was exposed. His shirt and jacket were pushed apart and her fingers traced over his skin, her nails dragging lightly over his chest, making him moan against her skin. "Baby..." he groaned, his whole body starting to tense as he neared the end.

"What the hell?!"

Joey and Lauren broke apart and turned to the doorway, freezing as they stared at the intruder.

TBC

**A/N: Ooh a cliffhanger (I told you you might not be thanking Lozxtitchx...)... what a shame you have to wait until Tuesday for an update. Any ideas who it could be? I'll reply to reviews for today's chapters tomorrow...  
**

**COMING SOON (BUT NOT SOON ENOUGH I'M SURE)... TO A FAN FIC SITE NEAR YOU... ARMAGEDDON...**


	32. Chapter 32: Armageddon

**So you're about to find out who it was who found them at an inopportune moment...**

**Chapter 32: Armageddon.**

"Well, aren't either of you going to say anything...?"

"Nan... We can explain."

"Cora..."

"Actually, save it!" She looked at them both in disgust. "I'll give you a few moments to make yourselves presentable, then we're going to sit down and have a little chat."

*JL*JL*

"Shit, shit, shit, SHIT!" Lauren said once they were alone again. They pulled apart and rearranged their clothing so everything was where it should be.

"Calm down, baby... Everything is going to be okay." Joey tried to reassure her.

"You don't know that. My nan just caught us having sex on my parent's couch. You think there's even a slight chance of her not telling my parents?"

The front door opened and shut and Lauren sank onto the couch, leaning forward and resting her head on her hands. She didn't even have to look to know who that was.

Joey reached for her and brushed his hand down her back, trying not to take it personally when she flinched from his touch. "I'm here for you, baby. You aren't going through this on your own."

Lauren looked at him and he could see the slight smile on her face, "I know." She moved so she was leaning against his side again, waiting for the inevitable to happen.

The door to the room opened and Lauren's parents walked in, following by Cora. The room was silent for almost a minute before Cora spoke, "Are you going to tell them or shall I?" Lauren said nothing, opening and shutting her mouth, unable to find the words and form them in a sentence. "Fine... I'll say it." She turned to her daughter and son-in-law, "I got home about ten minutes before you did and found your daughter having sex on the couch."

"Lauren, the couch, really?" Tanya said.

"That's all you're going to say?" Cora spluttered.

"She's an adult, mum. She's old enough to have sex."

"Are you completely ignorant...?" Lauren's nan said, "Aren't you going to ask her _who_ she was having sex with?"

The room fell silent. "Who?" Max said, watching his daughter closely.

"Me..." Joey said, his hand brushing the skin at the top of Lauren's arm.

"What!" Max growled. He got up from the chair he was in and grabbed Joey from the couch. Joey let him, knowing he deserved a certain amount of his uncle's anger. "You took advantage of my daughter? You knew she was upset tonight after what happened at the wedding and you decided to use that to get your leg over?" he accused him.

Lauren scrambled to her feet, trying to push between her dad and Joey, "Dad, it's not like that..."

"Babe, we know what he's like. Joey's a player... everyone knows it. He's had more girls than you've had hot meals. Del's told us all about it... we should've known better than to let him in our house. How he could do this to his cousin, I don't know." Max was irate and his grip on his nephew was tightening the angrier he got.

"Dad... please, let Joe go..." Lauren begged him.

Tanya moved to her daughter, trying to pull her away from the two men, comforting her when she could see she was upset. "Lauren, your dad is just trying to look out for you."

"But I love him..." she whispered.

"Lauren?" Tanya gasped.

Lauren looked at her mum, pulling away from her as she found some inner strength. "I LOVE HIM!" she screamed. Max dropped his hold on his nephew and turned to face his daughter. He was stunned to see her run to Joey, his arms wrapping around her as she started to cry into his shirt.

TBC

**A/N: So just a short chapter... but the ending seemed to be a good place to stop. I could possibly be convinced to post another chapter tonight... if you really want me to... and ask nicely! :-)**

**COMING SOON... TO A FAN FIC SITE NEAR YOU... MADE OF HONOUR...**


	33. Chapter 33: Made of Honour

**So there is a demand for the next chapter tonight... so here we are... and it starts from where the last chapter finished. The drama continues - and escalates.**

**Chapter 33: Made of Honour.**

There was silence in the room, apart from the odd sniffle from Lauren. Joey kissed the top of her head tenderly, his arms tightening around her as he felt her cry harder. The front door opened and more people entered the house. None of them spoke as Abi and Alice walked into the room, both girls sensing the tension in the room. Derek, Jack and Carol all following behind them.

"What's going on?" Abi asked, frowning when she saw her sister crying.

"Your sister was just about to tell us..." Max growled.

"Lauren?" Abi whispered.

Jack knew instantly what had happened and he sighed, knowing that carnage had already happened and seeing the remnants of it being displayed by his niece. The fact his eldest brother was present to witness this would only cause even more pain to everyone involved.

Joey turned to Lauren's father and stood a little taller, his hand brushing up and down Lauren's back. "We're in love with each other." He said, staring his uncle in the eyes.

"But you're cousins..." Tanya said.

"We didn't mean it to happen but we couldn't fight it." Joey explained.

"Well it ends now..." Max said.

"Too bloody right, it does. We are not having this shame brought on our family!" Derek said.

"Del, leave it..." Jack said softly.

"No, I won't leave it. This is family. They are family. They shouldn't be dating each other..."

"And having sex with each other..." Cora muttered, dragging on her cigarette and staring around at the congregated family, some of the newcomers to the room looking at her in surprise.

"Mum... Not now." Tanya said.

"When then, eh? This needs to be stamped out now... before they're too involved with each other. This is wrong."

"Nice to see we agree about some things, Cora..." Derek said smugly.

"ENOUGH!" Joey shouted, drawing all focus back to him and Lauren. "We don't care what you all think. This isn't a onetime thing. We've been seeing each other for months and we love each other. There's nothing you can say or do to make us stop seeing each other." He told them firmly. He looked at Lauren and saw her shaking in his arms. He lifted her carefully off the floor and started to walk towards the doorway, several members of the family moving out of their way.

Jack stepped forward when Joey reached the hallway and turned towards the stairs. "Take these... go to my flat. You won't be disturbed there." He said softly as he passed his nephew the keys to his flat, his hand brushing Lauren's head softly, her face buried in Joey's neck.

"Thanks Uncle Jack." Joey whispered, changing direction and going to the front door instead. Jack opened the front door and watched as his nephew and niece went down the stairs and Joey started walking over to his flat.

*JL*JL*

Things in the Branning house descended even further into chaos after Joey and Lauren left. Most of the room had glared at Jack when he came back into the room. "You knew about this didn't you?" Max accused immediately.

"I knew how Lauren felt about Joey but I didn't know for definite that they'd started a relationship." He replied.

"And you didn't think to tell me or Tan?" Max said, striding over to his younger brother.

"There wasn't anything to tell..." he said.

"She told you she felt something for her cousin and you didn't think that was important enough to tell her parents? She said her feelings were stronger than she should be feeling about her cousin and you kept that a secret?"

Jack shook his head and laughed wryly at his brother, "Do you remember what she was like a couple of weeks ago?" he asked. "Do you remember how she would lose herself in the bottom of a bottle? How about the time she came home with bruises all over her face and she wouldn't tell you where they came from?" Jack asked them, seeing the look on his brother's face. He turned to Tanya, "You told me that Lauren had had a disagreement with Joey... she bumped into him at the shop and ran home really upset. She was fighting the way she felt about him... She was confused and she was putting the family before her own feelings and it was making her miserable. All I did was listen to her."

"That doesn't change the fact you should've told us what was going on..." Derek said.

"Lauren told me in confidence... she needed to speak to someone because her best friend... who is Joey by the way... was out of the question." He sighed and brushed his hand over his face, "I felt just as shocked as you all are when she first told me. I thought it was wrong for them to be together but I listened to her as she started talking about him and it was like she came alive. There was this sparkle in her eyes that I don't we've seen since she was about twelve; since all the shit this family laid on her shoulders first set in." Tanya was crying by this point and Max pulled her into his arms, staring at his brother.

"Uncle Jack's right." Abi said. "I've seen the differences in her in the last few weeks. She smiles so much more." She looked at her parents, "She's happy and I can't remember a time before when she's been that. Doesn't that say something?" she whispered.

"Abs..." Tanya said, "Can't you see why this is wrong?"

"No... All I can see is that I've had my sister back in the last few weeks. And I don't want to lose her again. If being with Joey makes her happy, then I think she should be with him."

"She's right. Joey's been happier too." Alice said. "He's never stood up for a girl like that before."

"Alice, darling... you don't know what you're talking about. Your brother is a player... he uses women and then drops them." Derek said, walking over to his daughter.

"No, dad. It's you who doesn't know what they're talking about. Joey isn't like that... not the real Joey. He's a nice guy... He looks after the people he loves... He protects them from getting hurt..." she said, her eyes widening as she realised what she was saying, "Like he did with Lauren tonight." She added. "He loves her. He really loves her."

"This is getting us nowhere. Let's all go home and we can talk about this properly in the morning... when you've all had a bit of time to think about it." Jack proposed.

"You can come back to ours, Jack," Carol said softly, knowing her brother had just given away the keys to his flat.

"Thanks Carol."

The family dispersed, thoughts running haywire as they tried to absorb everything that had just been revealed to them.

TBC

**A/N: So what did you think? God bless, Uncle Jack. Next chapter is another favourite of mine... I think I say that quite a lot. Every chapter has something in it that I love... I get too emotionally involved with my stories. Talking of stories, I realised today that back in December, when I posted my first EastEnders story, I had posted 10 stories on this site... This story is my 29th story! Joey and Lauren have obviously inspired me a lot.**

**COMING SOON... TO A FAN FIC SITE NEAR YOU... TRUE ROMANCE**


	34. Chapter 34: True Romance

**So technically, True Romance could never be described as a Chick Flick... in fact I'm not sure any Quentin Tarantino film could be but the title was appropriate to the chapter. Look out for the surprise at the end! Enjoy!**

**Chapter 34: True Romance.**

Joey carried Lauren into their Uncle's flat and placed her on the couch. Crouching beside her he could see she was starting to hyperventilate as their family's reaction to the revelation of their relationship hit home. "It's going to be okay, baby." He whispered to her, brushing some loose hair back from her face.

"No, it's not, Joe. You heard them..." she said, her breathing heavy as she lifted tear-filled eyes to his. "They are never going to accept this. They think what we're doing is wrong, that we're bringing shame on them." She looked at him in silence and he could see the devastation on her face. This was her worst nightmare coming true. "I don't want to lose you... not now I've only just found you," she whispered, lowering her head again.

"You aren't going to, baby. I promise you, I will never leave you." He told her softly, lifting her chin and making sure she was looking into his eyes as he spoke. "We just need to give them time to deal with our relationship... it took us both a while to get our heads around it and we'd been living with it for a while. We knew this was going to be difficult when we told them. It's going to take them time for them to come to terms with it because of the way they found out. That's the only thing I wish we could change about this... the way they found out." He moved to sit next to her on the couch and pulled her against his body, his hand brushing her back.

"What if they never accept it?" she whispered brokenly into his shirt.

"Then we leave the square..." he told her.

Lauren lifted her head and looked at her boyfriend, "You'd leave Alice?"

His hand came up and he caressed her cheek gently, "She doesn't need me, baby. She's got Anthony and the rest of the family. She's even got Derek." He stared into her eyes, "You need me... and I need you, baby."

"Where would we go?"

"We could go to my mum's while we sort out what we're going to do long term."

Tears ran down Lauren's face, "I love you, Joe."

"I love you too..." he said, smiling at her tenderly. Lauren yawned, "Let's get some sleep, baby... you've had a long day." They rearranged themselves so they were lying side by side on the couch, Lauren wrapped in Joey's arms as he lay behind her.

"I can't believe my nan walked in on us having sex..." she murmured.

"One day we'll look back at this and laugh, baby. We'll tell our grandchildren about this in years to come and they'll be embarrassed about the fact we were having sex."

Lauren turned her head and looked at him in shock, "Our grandchildren?" she whispered.

He looked at her face and held her gaze before leaning forward and kissing her forehead softly. "Yes, baby." He breathed against her skin. Lauren said nothing for some time and Joey was wondering what she was thinking. He asked her carefully, "Does that scare you?"

"A little..." Joey frowned at her. "More the fact you've thought about it..."

"Haven't you?" he asked.

She shrugged, "Not really. I never really figured that children were in my future. I'm not exactly maternal so I guess it's not something I ever thought I would do..." She looked at him, "You've really thought about us having children together?" she asked in a whisper.

"I have..." he said softly. His hand brushed across her body and settled on her flat stomach, "I've thought about what it would be like to see our child growing in here..." he whispered. He saw her eyes darken and hoped that meant she wasn't as opposed to this as he'd initially thought. "I thought about us becoming a family and raising a child together. I want that with you... and I know that's not something I've ever wanted with anyone else."

"Wow..." she whispered.

"Will you think about it?" he asked her softly.

"Of course I will... if it's what you want, I'll give it some serious thought." They fell silent again for a long time and Joey was just starting to drift off to sleep when Lauren suddenly spoke. "Joe..."

"Yeah..." he said, his voice cracking as he spoke through his tiredness.

"I want it too..." she told him.

"I thought you'd have to think about it longer than that." He chuckled.

She turned so she was facing him and looked up at his face, "I think, subconsciously, I may have wanted it too..." she told him. She stared at him and he can see there is something else she wants to say. It's a couple of minutes before she speaks again, "Joe, when was the last time we used a condom?" she whispered.

Her question surprised him and the fact he has to think about it tells him it had been a long time since they had. "I can't remember," he admitted.

Her face is a stunning pink colour, "I don't think we used them after about the fourth or fifth time we were together..." she said. She glanced down, "So there's a small chance we may have already started down that route." She added, looking at his face.

Joey's chest tightened as he thought through what she was saying. "Are you on the pill?" he asked softly.

She nodded, although her eyes wouldn't quite meet his, "I sometimes forget to take it," she whispered.

He looked at her, seeing the fear on her face. He lifted his hand and pushed some of her hair behind her ear, "If we have... we will deal with this, okay."

"You don't think it's too soon?" she whispered, her eyes darting up to meet his.

"No, I don't... I firmly believe everything happens for a reason, so if we are having a baby, then it's the right time for us to do this... unless you're not ready. And if you're not, then that's fine too."

"I love you so much, Joe." She whispered. He kissed her tenderly, feeling the emotion from her as she responded. "Make love to me..." she breathed against his lips.

"I don't have anything," he said.

Lauren smiled shyly, "I don't care, Joe... I just want you. We were interrupted earlier and I still need you. If there's one thing I'm more certain of after everything that's happened this evening, I want you forever. Prove to me, Joe that you want that too."

He knew she didn't doubt his feelings for her. If anything she just needed him to reassure her that everything was going to be okay and nothing had changed. If it took him making love to her to prove that, he was definitely more than capable of doing that. Fuck, he would without any hesitation whatsoever. He sat upright and pulled her up with him, them both standing up from the couch. Slowly he walked around behind her and began to pull the pins from her hair, so that it fell down in curls around her shoulders. He kissed her collar bone gently as his hands moved to the back of her dress and slowly lowered the zip, his lips pressing against her skin as it was revealed. The bra she was wearing was strapless and was the same colour as the thong he could see she was wearing again. In just a few minutes she was standing before him, completely naked. He pressed his body up against her, knowing she would feel his arousal as he pushed it against her ass. He stepped back and tore his clothes from his body, moving back towards her once he was wearing nothing as well.

Joey took her hand in his and pulled her back towards the couch. There was a throw draped over the back of the couch that he partly moved down on the couch. Lauren lay down and Joey lay next to her. His hands caressed her body, brushing softly over her skin until she was moaning his name. He rolled over so he lay on top of her and he saw the trust in her eyes as she stared up at him. He edged his length into her slowly, watching her face and seeing the desire blossoming there. "I love you, baby," he whispered as he pulled his cock slowly from her. A slight flex of the hips and he was buried within her again, both of them sighing. Joey took his time, his lips brushing across her skin as he haphazardly dotted kisses over her face and neck. A tear rolled down her face and he kissed it away, frowning slightly until he saw the small smile on her face. Her hands clutched at his back before brushing up to his head and holding it against her mouth as she kissed him deeply. Lauren came apart around him and he was close behind her, collapsing on top of her as they both struggled for breath. "Was that enough proof for you, baby?" he whispered in her ear as he reversed their positions.

"You know it was, Joe." She shivered slightly in his arms and he pulled the rest of the throw they were lying on over them both.

"Sleep, baby." He whispered to her. "We'll deal with everything in the morning."

*JL*JL*

Alice POV.

I can't believe my brother is in love. I mean, I have no doubt he is but it's such a surprise because I know he never has been before. In hindsight it's easy to see the signs. I can't believe I didn't realise earlier. I should've guessed after the holiday in Spain... although I'm not sure if it had started then. Thinking about it though everyone should've been able to see the signs.

I hope the family can accept them being together because I know them both enough to know they would leave the square before they split. They're both too stubborn for their own good. I think I'm going to call mum in the morning, I bet Joey spoke to her about this. I want to know what she thinks and that she'll support them if they need her.

I'm really disappointed with everyone's attitude towards Joey and Lauren. It was definitely a case of shoot first and ask questions later. I wish they'd let them explain how it happened. I know them both well enough to know they wouldn't have rushed into this... and they care for each other deeply.

First chance I get I'm going to tell them that I back them being together. I don't care what anyone else thinks... I just want them to be happy.

*JL*JL*

Abi POV.

I'm so pleased my sister is in love. Over the last few years I've been so worried about her and tonight it feels like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders because there's no need to worry anymore. Well, apart from the fact most of the family doesn't approve. Most of them are so caught up in how it will make the family look that they're looking past what is important in all this. And that is that Joey and Lauren are happy and in love with each other.

I wonder how long they've been together. I want to know how it started... because I know my sister too well. My gut tells me it was Joey who made the first move. Lauren would never make a move on him. The main reason being he's our cousin. And if she could get her head around that she'd assume she'd be rejected by him. Despite outward appearances my sister lacks any self-confidence... especially when it comes to boys. The only time that isn't true is when she's been drinking but then she usually chooses the wrong kind of boys.

Even if it was Joey who made the first move though, I know it must've taken a lot for them to embark on a relationship together; which just tells me how much she feels for him because I know she wouldn't get involved in a relationship with him if she wasn't serious about it. She would know how the family would take this news; much like they did tonight. I realise, belatedly, just how brave my sister is... This realisation makes me love her even more than I already did. I hope she gets the opportunity to be with Joey because I think he's really good for her. She seemed so happy today at the wedding and now I know why... If being with Joey makes her like that, how can we stop them seeing each other?

I wish she'd told me about it though... she was obviously scared about how we would react. Did she think I would think badly of her? That I would think less of her because of who she was sleeping with? That thought makes me sad. I thought we were close. It appears there are a lot of things I don't know about my sister but I'm determined to find out. And I want her to know how much I love her... family matters... she matters.

*JL*JL*

Jack's POV.

Well that didn't go as well as I'd hoped. I'd seen Joey and Lauren dancing earlier at the reception and I knew they were together. I could see it so clearly and it confirmed what I'd suspected for a while because Lauren had seemed so much better in the last few weeks than she had when I spoke to her. My niece... my favourite niece... deserves some happiness in her life. Lauren has been dragged through too much drama over the last few years. She's protected her brother and sister from most of it, taking the brunt of it on her own shoulders instead. She has suffered more than any other because of the mess of a marriage Max and Tanya have. I love my brother and his wife... I would die for them both... but they have caused so much pain to their daughter and I don't think they even realise it.

I'm lying on the couch at Carol's house and trying not to imagine what is going on in my flat right now. I know Joey loves Lauren... I saw that tonight when he stood up to the rest of the family and when he carried her out of the house. I have no doubt about their feelings for each other and I just hope they are given the freedom to continue their relationship. I think this will be good for both of them. They need each other.

More than anything I just want them to be happy. If that means they have to leave the square to be so, I'm going to help them; even if it means my having to leave the square as well when the rest of the family find out. For a change, the Branning's aren't going to ruin a relationship and I'm going to see to it.

*JL*JL*

Cora POV.

I can't believe what I walked in on earlier. Never have I been so ashamed of my granddaughter... and believe me she has done many things to disappoint me over the years. That started when she dropped out of school. Despite evidence to the contrary tonight she's not a stupid girl... she could do anything with her life if she put her mind to it but instead she quit school; she quit everything. Well apart from drinking. That she started and hasn't stopped since. I know we all drink at times but Lauren takes it to excess, much like my youngest daughter did. I recognise the signs... she's going to end up just like Rainie did. And now we find out she's sleeping with her cousin. They're blood relatives. It's so wrong it should be illegal. What is that silly girl thinking? How can she be so stupid? I hope my daughter and her husband don't back down from this. They need to make sure this ends and it ends now.

*JL*JL*

Tanya POV.

I can't believe the mess Lauren has got us into today. Why can't she be more like Abi? Abi never lets us down. That's all Lauren seems to do these days. I tried to talk to Max about it once everyone was gone but he was too angry and he wasn't prepared to listen. I'll speak to him about it in the morning because we need to sort this out. We need to sort Lauren out. Maybe we should send her away somewhere...

The day had started off so well as well. Earlier this evening when Max and I first arrived at the reception I saw Lauren and it was like seeing the daughter we used to have. She looked beautiful; it brought a tear to my eye. Just seeing her walk over to us when we first got there took our breath away. Then we accused her of getting drunk and everything went downhill from there really.

I wish I could sleep but Jack's words from earlier are still whirring round my head. I remembered the day Lauren came home with bruises all over her face. I called Max immediately and he'd dashed home after I told him the state our daughter was in. Despite how much we'd tried she wouldn't tell us how she came to be in that state and I think, because the alternative was too painful to consider, we'd assumed it was a result of a fall when she was drunk. We must be very naive.

Now I can't stop thinking about how she got them. Did someone hit her? Why would someone do that? Where was her supposed best friend when all this happened? Actually I'm probably doing Joey an injustice; after all he was there for her when those guys tried it on with her in R&R's. He stopped them from hurting her. I guess I should've realised then that there was something going on between them because she stayed at the B&B with him all night. And we saw how upset she was when he was trapped in the B&B. I should've realised but I just thought they were good friends with each other. What I don't understand is why she wouldn't tell me about this? Am I that bad a mother that she can't talk to me?

*JL*JL*

Max POV.

I'm furious. I can't believe Joey has taken advantage of my baby girl. He's so much older than her and he's my nephew; her cousin. He should've known better. And if I'm being honest with myself, so should she.

I can tell Tanya is awake. She keeps shifting in the bed beside me. I know she's thinking about this too. We should really be talking about it but I'm too angry to do that now. My brain is actually hurting thinking about this.

I give up the pretence of trying to sleep and go downstairs, pouring myself a glass of whisky. I see Lauren's bag on the side and I can't resist. I need to try and understand her. My god, there's a lot of shit in here. I pull out a small clear plastic food bag and stare at the contents. Rose petals? That's bit odd, even for Lauren. My hand grasped a sheet of headed notepaper. When the hell did she go to a hotel that fancy? The next thing I pull out is a program for a musical that I know Lauren has wanted to see since it opened. Has she been to see it? I'm now thoroughly confused and I open the bag wider. I see a book and it's held shut by an elastic band. I pull it out and flick through the pages. The first few pages are fine then my world stands still as I saw picture after picture of Joey's face. She had drawn dozens of them. Most of the book is filled with them.

My heart sinks. Lauren and I may have had our moments but I know her. I know how she thinks. She really thinks she's in love with Joey. I sigh because something tells she might actually be.

In my heart I know this is more serious than I think any of us realise. I know my daughter well enough to know she wouldn't have started this thing with Joey unless she felt a lot for him. I look again at the last picture in the book. His face is smiling up from the paper and I can see the time she's spent drawing it. The love and care she has put into it. Even though it's a picture I can see from how she's drawn his face that he cares for her too. Fuck! There is no way we are going to be able to get them to split up with each other. I know that now.

I take another sip from my glass, unable to stop looking at the pictures she's drawn. So if they aren't going to split up that leaves me with two choices. We either accept them or we push them away completely. I know what that will mean. I'll lose another child. Lauren will leave the square with Joey and they won't come back. It's a tough decision.

What am I thinking? Actually it's a really easy decision because I know I can't lose her. She's my little girl. She's my Lauren. I can't lose her. So that means I'm going to have to accept their relationship. Can I really do that? I know I'm going to have to... but we're going to have to set some ground rules. I stretch and my eyes run around the room, settling for a fraction too long on the couch. Definitely need to set some rules for them.

*JL*JL*

Oscar POV.

I love my big sister lots. When mummy was poorly, it was Laur who looked after me. She would walk me to school and pick me up again at the end of the day. She was looking after mummy and Abs as well but she would spend special time with me; where it was just the two of us. Each day she'd make me my breakfast and make sure I cleaned my teeth properly afterwards. My packed lunch would have a treat in it each day... always something different. I don't get treats when mummy or daddy makes my lunch. Only when Laur makes it for me. They are the best days.

While we walked home from school she'd ask me about my day. On Wednesdays, after she'd given me my pocket money we would go to the shop on the way home and she would let me spend some of it on sweets. The rest of it we would put in my piggy bank when we got home.

She would watch my cartoons with me if mummy was too sick and she'd help me with my homework. She also played on the computer with me; even Mario Kart which she doesn't like because she's not very good at it. I used to think she was letting me win but I could see she was really just not very good... but she told me she didn't mind losing to me. If I had bad dreams I knew I could always go to Laur's room. She never minded, she'd just lift the duvet and let me climb in bed with her... because she always keeps the monsters away.

My favourite times with Laur though are when she reads to me when I go to bed. She does all the voices of the characters and it makes me laugh every time. She never gets them confused with each other. I try and stay awake as long as I can so I can hear her read to me... but whenever it is I fall asleep she'll start again the next night and she starts from exactly the right point.

Through all that time though I could tell Laur was unhappy and it made me sad to see her like that. I noticed she stopped being sad in the summer. And I know the reason why. They all think I'm too young to notice things but when it comes to Laur, there isn't much I don't notice. I can see that it's our cousin Joey who makes her smile.

At first I was worried she wouldn't have any space for me if she had Joey but we still spend time together. Not as much as we used to because mummy's better now and daddy's back too so she doesn't have to do everything for me now but she's there when I need her. Sometimes she still walks me to school and she'll take me to the shop to buy my sweets still. Now though she'll spend the same amount of money on sweets as I do and she gives them to me so they last longer.

I'm glad she's got Joey in her life. She needs someone to make her happy because most things still make her sad. It's only me and Joey who can make her smile the smile that lights up her whole face. The smile that makes her look even prettier than she normally does.

I stayed at Bobby's house last night. Denny was there too. Bobby's daddy looked after us. Denny's mummy picked me and Denny up this morning and brought us back over to my house. I can sense something isn't right in the house but Abi tells me to play on the computer with Denny.

Everyone's talking in quiet voices but I keep hearing them say Laur's name and Joey's so I know it's something to do with them. Laur's not here and I wonder where she is. I hope she's okay.

TBC

**A/N: Yay... Oscar is back... Will we see him again, do you think? Maybe... you'll have to wait and see. Let me know what you thought.**

**COMING SOON... TO A FAN FIC SITE NEAR YOU... LOVE HAPPENS...**


	35. Chapter 35: Love Happens

**So you've heard what everyone was thinking after the shock news of Lauren and Joey's relationship... so I guess now it's time for them to face the music. Enjoy!**

**Chapter 35: Love Happens.**

Joey walked up behind her and bent down, kissing the top of Lauren's head as she sat on the couch in Jack's flat. Beside her was the bag that had been filled with clothes for them to change into when Joey found it on the doorstep of the flat this morning. Joey had been wondering what they were going to wear but he'd got a text from Jack telling him to look outside the flat. "Things will be okay, baby." He said to her gently.

"You don't know that, Joe." She whispered.

"Let's go and talk to your parents... We can make them understand."

"Can't we just stay here?" she asked, looking at him.

Joey could see the pain and fear in her eyes. He moved around the couch and knelt in front of her so he could look her in the eyes, "They know about us now so we can't pretend this isn't happening. We can't hide from this, Lauren, much as we may want to." His hand brushed her cheek, "Now I know Uncle Jack is cool with this but even I think he will draw the line at letting us camp on his couch indefinitely, especially if he knew what we did on it last night." He smirked at her reddening face, "You've got a home to get back to, Lauren."

"I'm scared..." she whispered.

"I won't let them hurt you baby... I'll look after you." He said softly.

She slid off the couch and wrapped her arms around his neck, hugging him tightly, "What would I do without you, Joe." She whispered to him.

"You wouldn't be in this mess in the first place if I wasn't here, babe." He replied, his arms pulling her against him when he felt her tense.

"Don't even say those words... I never want to think about that, Joe."

"Let's go back to the house..." he said.

*JL*JL*

Joey and Lauren walked into the house, Lauren clutching Joey's hand tightly. Joey dropped their bag on the floor and they moved to the lounge doorway, surprised to find most of the family gathered there, waiting for them. The only person missing from the night before was Derek. Lauren's hand gripped Joey's just a little tighter as she ran her eyes around the room.

"Maybe the two of you should sit down?" Lauren's dad said.

"Oscar, why don't you and Denny go up to your room for a little while? I'll call you down when it's lunch time." Tanya said.

Oscar and Denny got to their feet and left the room, Oscar paused to hug Lauren tightly as he walked past her. She squeezed him against her and turned to watch the pair disappear up the stairs.

Lauren looked at her uncle and she relaxed slightly when she saw him smile at her, gesturing towards the couch. The couple walked into the room and sat next to each other. Nobody missed the way Lauren was gripping tightly to Joey's hand.

"We've all had a chance to think about what you told us last night and we've talked about it this morning," Max said, "And we've come to a decision..."

Joey thought that Lauren was going to throw up, she'd gone very pale as soon as her dad started talking and her hands were definitely becoming clammy. "It's okay, baby." He whispered, his arm wrapping around her shoulders so he could pull her against him.

"Before we go into it, I want to know how this started."

"You really want to know?" Lauren said. Her dad nodded, "I'm pretty sure you won't."

"She's right, Max." Jack said. "You don't want to know."

Max turned on his brother, staring at him incredulously, "So you know?" He hissed.

"Yes, Lauren told me when she told me about how she felt." Jack admitted.

"So she can tell you but she can't tell me...?" he asked indignantly, getting more irate.

"Max, this isn't supposed to be about you or me. It's about your daughter and Joey."

Lauren could see things were starting to get out of hand. Again. "It was about sex, okay!" she said loudly, managing to silence the room instantly. "Shit..." she whispered as practically the whole room turned their eyes to her, a whole range of looks on their faces. She glanced at Joey, "Sorry." She whispered to him. He winked at her and squeezed her hand. She didn't miss the slight smirk on his face.

"It was what?" Max said.

Lauren turned back to look at her dad, not quite able to meet his eyes, "Please don't make me say it again, dad." She whispered.

"Why would you do that with your cousin?" Tanya asked, speaking for the first time since Oscar had left the room.

"It was just supposed to be fun... someone to turn to if we were lonely. And both of us was lonely. Neither of us thought we wanted a long-term relationship but we didn't want a series of one night stands with strangers either. This seemed like the perfect solution." She said softly, hoping her parents would understand. They didn't.

"Sleeping with your cousin seemed like the perfect solution?" Max shouted.

"Dad!" Abi cried out, trying to calm him down.

"It wasn't like that, dad." Lauren said softly, trying to explain but not doing a very good job apparently. "It didn't feel like we were cousins. It's never felt like we were cousins. Joey had only been here for just over a month when this began. We were friends and we became closer friends because of this."

"I would say so." Cora muttered. Lauren looked at her sharply and flinched when she saw the disdain on her Nan's face.

"Mum!" Tanya said, seeing Lauren's face pale further, "Stop that..."

"I don't mean like that," Lauren explained, "We spent a lot of time together, just getting to know each other. You don't know what it's been like for me for the last year. All of my friends are involved with someone. If we all went out together, it starts off great but it would usually end up with them all pairing off and I'd be left on my own. I know they didn't mean to but I was lonely. Really lonely." She shrugged her shoulders. "Joey was too so it seemed the ideal solution, better than just copping off with random strangers anyway. At least we knew each other and trusted each other. It was an arrangement between friends. It wasn't supposed to be anything serious."

"How long did that last?" Tanya asked.

"Probably longer than it should've done." Lauren glanced at Joey and he nodded his head slightly. "I think both of us realised we felt more than we should but the arrangement didn't end until after we came back from Spain."

"It was Debbie, wasn't it?" Alice asked softly.

Lauren nodded, "I thought he was getting back together with her so I stepped aside. I was trying to do the right thing. I said some things I didn't mean and it went downhill from there."

"When did you get back together?" Abi asked, "And was it for real this time?"

"It was the day before the snowstorm," Lauren whispered, leaning against Joey heavily as her thoughts once again turned to one of the worst moments in her life. "Joey told me how he felt but I told him I needed to think about it... I told him I'd tell him the next day and then the storm hit and I nearly never got a chance to tell him."

"Baby..." Joey whispered, ignoring the rest of the family and turning to his girlfriend. Her body was shaking and he pulled her into a hug, her face burying in his neck so no one could see her. All the walls she usually kept in place had shattered as she spoke about that day. She hated that her family could see her when she was so weak. The only person she wanted to see her like that was Joey. The room fell silent for several minutes, only broken by the soft murmur of Joey talking to Lauren, his voice too quiet for anyone other than Lauren to hear.

"You don't have much to say for yourself, Joey..." Carol said about five minutes later, drawing Joey's attention back to the gathered family.

"What do you want me to say?" he asked, his hand continuing to brush Lauren's back in comfort. "I said everything I needed to last night." He told them but paused, "Actually there are a few things I want to say. Firstly, I fell in love with Lauren a long time ago. I think I've possibly always loved her, since the first day I met her but I didn't realise what those feelings were and it took me a long time to admit, even to myself, what I was feeling. Lauren is my best friend. I plan to look after her for the rest of my life. It's as simple as that." He turned his attention to Lauren's parents. "I don't think you realise how much you hurt Lauren. None of you do." He glanced at the whole room before turning his attention back to Max and Tanya, "You both go on at Lauren about the fact she doesn't do anything with her life but you never try to encourage her to do something about it or help her decide what she wants to do."

"That's not true. We tell her she should get herself a job..." Tanya said.

"What about encouraging her to try and doing something more with her life?" Joey said. He glanced at Lauren and she nodded her head, smiling at him slightly, "Lauren's going to apply to go to Art College. She wants to draw and she's really good. We got a form the other day from a college and she's going to send it off next week."

"Are you sure that's a good idea, sweetheart?" Tanya asked, "College is a lot of pressure to put on yourself..." Joey scowled at her, shaking his head in disgust as he squeezed Lauren's hand. "What?" she asked him.

"I can't believe you doubt her so much..." Joey said.

"Lauren doesn't cope well with pressure..." Max said.

"That's one way of putting it..." Cora muttered.

"You think she'll bow under the pressure and get drunk?" he asked but none of them responded. Most of them thought it was a foregone conclusion, "Apart from one glass of champagne the other night, Lauren hasn't had a drink in weeks." Joey told them. "She doesn't really drink anymore. Sure, there was a bit of a blip when we had our misunderstanding but the rest of the time she's pretty much been sober since we've been together."

"So she didn't drink in Spain?" Tanya asked, having heard from Poppy and Lauren's other friends about their nights out clubbing.

"I was drinking water..." Lauren whispered. "The others may have thought I was on the vodka but I wasn't. It was just water."

"That's why you didn't have a hangover..." Alice whispered. Joey smiled at his sister softly, seeing the acceptance of their relationship on her face.

"I don't need to drink when I'm with Joey. The only reason I really drank before we got together was because I had nothing else to do. I was alone with my thoughts too much so I drank to try and forget them." Lauren admitted.

"Are you going to tell us what you've decided?" Joey asked, getting fed up of having to reveal their personal relationship to the whole family.

"We're willing to accept the two of you being together but Tanya and I want to set some ground rules for the two of you... especially while you're both living in this house." Max told them.

"We can live with that." Joey said, squeezing Lauren's hand. He knew this was what Lauren wanted but he still felt a little bit of resentment when his uncle said they were willing to accept them. How big of them.

"We'll speak to you later about the rules." Tanya said.

Lauren got to her feet and went to hug her parents, proving to Joey just how much their acceptance meant to her. The rest of the family began to leave after that. Both Alice and Abi hugged their siblings, wishing them well and offering their support. Joey and Lauren asked them not to mention anything about their relationship to either of their boyfriends... wanting the news to come from them rather than anyone else.

Finally the two of them were alone again. Joey pulled Lauren onto his lap and hugged her tightly. "Thanks Joe..." she whispered to him, kissing him lightly.

"I only told them the truth, baby." He said lovingly. His hand brushed into her hair and tucked it behind her ear, his thumb brushing across her cheek as he kissed her, it deepening easily. "So you've made your mind up about college then?"

"There's no harm in applying is there?" she said softly.

"You'll be fine... I've seen your drawings and you're very talented."

Lauren smiled and snuggled into his chest. "It'll be nice to be able to do this without having to hide it all the time, Joe." She whispered.

"Assuming it doesn't break one of your parent's rules." He murmured, a slight hint of resentment in his voice.

Lauren lifted her head and looked at his face, "Well, we've never been very good at following the rules, babe, have we?" She smiled and he returned it.

**TBC**

**A/N: 'We've never been very good at following the rules...' - probably the biggest understatement ever! What did you think then?**

**COMING SOON... TO A FAN FIC SITE NEAR YOU... SAY ANYTHING... Yep, we're going Old School... back to the eighties!**

**JUST FIVE CHAPTERS TO GO GUYS!**


	36. Chapter 36: Say Anything

**So here is the next chapter. I think you're going to like it... it's got pretty much everything in it. Oh and to the guest reviewer who asked me to confirm that I got their review... I didn't get it - JOKING! :-)**

**Now for the young ones among you, this film has an iconic scene in it (John Cusack and a ghetto blaster anyone?). Much as I would like to replicate that scene... it ain't happening... I went a bit more literal. Enjoy!**

**Chapter 36: Say Anything.**

Lauren got out of bed the following morning with a smile on her face. For the second time in three days she had got up before the rest of the family. She went downstairs and quickly made a couple of coffees, carrying the mugs back upstairs and opening the door to Joey's room. Joey was still asleep so she put the coffees down and slid into the bed beside him, loving how his arms moved around her even though he was asleep. His chest was bare so Lauren kissed it softly. She moved her kisses higher, up his neck and then along his jaw to his mouth.

"Morning baby." He whispered just before her lips met his.

"Hi." She smiled at him. "I brought you a coffee."

"Have I told you how much I love you...?"

"Not today." She said with a smile. She sat up and reached for the mugs, passing one to him and drinking from the other.

"I really do, baby... and it's not just because you make good coffee."

She stared at him, biting her lip gently, smirking slightly when she saw his eyes stare at her mouth, "I thought maybe we should tell our friends today." She said softly.

Joey lifted his eyes to hers, "Are you sure you're ready for that?"

"I am, Joe. I want them to know. Alice and Abs are on our side... we should be okay." She glanced down at her lap.

"Should be?" he asked. "What are you worried about... or should I say who?"

"You know who..." she whispered.

"Lucy." He said and she nodded. "I'll be there for you. We can get through this together, baby."

"I know." She said, smiling at him softly.

*JL*JL*

Lauren had contacted Whitney and between them they'd organised for everyone to gather at the house she shared with Tyler. Whit was going to contact the others and arrange it all for about an hour's time.

"You ready, baby?" Joey asked when he walked into her room as she was finishing getting ready.

"Think so..." she said, looking at her reflection in the mirror.

Joey walked up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. "You look perfect, baby." He told her, kissing her cheek tenderly as he held her eyes in the mirror. "Alice has gone over already so she'll be there when we get there."

"Abs is coming over with us. Jay, Dexter and Lola are meeting us there along with all the others."

"So everyone's going to be there?" he asked.

"Yes."

Joey could tell she was nervous. "We don't have to do this today, Lauren." He said.

"I know." She turned to face him, winding her arms around his neck, "It's time. I don't want to hide this anymore."

He smiled at her, "Maybe we can look at that form later today..."

"That would be really good actually. I looked at it the other night and there are some sections where I've got to write about myself... I'm going to need some help."

"I'll be right next to you. Every step of the way."

Lauren knew he wasn't just talking about the form she needed to fill in. She took a deep breath and grabbed his hand tightly. "Let's go then." They walked out of the house with Abi and over to number 23. Lauren rang the doorbell and Whit opened the door, "Hello, Mrs. Moon." Lauren said brightly, hiding the nerves that were threatening to show.

Whitney giggled, "Still getting used to that."

"Is everyone here?" Lauren asked as Whit held the door open for her. Abi and Joey walked into the house behind her.

"Just waiting for Lucy and Tamwar. She's got to wait for Marie to turn up so she might be a bit late." Everyone stood slightly awkwardly around the room, breaking up into their pairs automatically. "So what's this about, babe?" Whitney asked, staring at her friend. She was still concerned about her after she'd left so suddenly at the wedding reception.

Lauren took a deep breath, "I thought it was time I introduced you to my boyfriend..." she said quietly, glancing up at Whitney before lowering her eyes again. She exhaled slowly and lifted her head to look at all her friends, finding some inner confidence, knowing Joey was beside her. Silently she reached for Joey's hand and entwined their fingers. Silence filled the room. "Say something... anything..." she whispered.

"What the fuck?"

Lauren turned her head towards the entrance of the room and saw Lucy and Tamwar standing in the doorway. Lucy was staring at Joey and Lauren's hands. "I guess I don't have to do this twice now..." she whispered, more to herself than anyone else.

"You have remembered the two of you are related, right?" Lucy spluttered.

"Oh my god, I knew we were forgetting something, Joe." Lauren gasped in mock shock, lifting her free hand to her chest. He smiled at her gently and she smirked, hearing Fats and Tyler both chuckle. It was good to break some of the tension that had formed since she'd taken Joey's hand.

"It's disgusting..." Lucy said fiercely.

Lauren froze. This was it. This was the moment she'd been dreading. This was when her friends rejected her. Joey saw the abject fear on her face and pulled her into a hug, kissing her forehead softly, without even thinking about it. His natural instincts to want to protect her and comfort her overrode everything else.

"No one's forcing you to stay, Lucy." Whitney said softly, her eyes locked on Lauren and Joey. Lauren turned her head slightly to look at her and Whitney smiled at her.

"You can't agree with this?" Lucy cried out.

"I don't know what your problem with me is, Lucy... but it's really getting on my nerves. If there's something you want to say, just say it." Lauren said firmly, pulling from Joey's arms and turning to face her apparent former friend.

"I don't know what you mean..." Lucy said innocently.

"You've been off with me for months. Ever since we had that fight in the cafe because I wouldn't tell you who it was I was seeing..."

"Well I can understand your reluctance to tell us now..." Lucy said, looking at the pair of them with disdain.

"Lucy..." Tamwar said, his hand touching her arm as he tried to placate her.

Lucy shook his hand off. "No, this is wrong... on so many levels. This shouldn't have happened."

"Lucy, Lauren and Joey are our friends... you can't say things like that..." Poppy said.

"I've said and done nothing to be ashamed of..." she said, turning her eyes back to Lauren, "Unlike you." She said, folding her arms and scowling at Lauren.

"I'm not ashamed of our relationship..." Lauren told her calmly.

"You've been seeing him how long? And you're only telling us about it now?"

"Obviously it was complicated..." Lauren said.

"Because you're cousins..." Lucy said.

"Because I was falling in love with him and I wasn't sure he felt the same way." Lauren said.

"I think we should go..." Tamwar said to Lucy, knowing his girlfriend was only going to make herself even more unpopular unless he got her out of the house in the next few minutes.

"It's not us that should be going. We've done nothing wrong, Tam." Lucy said stubbornly.

"Sorry, Tam..." Tyler said as he walked towards the doorway of the room, "But I think it's best if you both went..." he added, ushering the other couple out of the room and towards the front door, ignoring Lucy's protests.

As soon as the front door closed behind Lucy and Tamwar, all the strength Lauren possessed vanished and she slumped backwards against Joey. He picked her up and sat on the couch with her on his lap in almost a direct repeat of the previous night, brushing his hand up and down her back as she began to cry quietly, the strain of the last couple of days threatening to break her. Abi walked over to the couch and sat beside the couple, taking Lauren's hand in hers and squeezing it in support as Alice turned to their friends and tried to give them some privacy.

"We don't all think like Lucy, babe," Whitney said once Lauren had calmed slightly. "You remember what I said to you the other day, just before I got married?" Lauren nodded against Joey's shoulder. "I haven't changed my opinion because I know who you're dating." Whit said, moving quietly towards her friend. "If Joey makes you happy then that's good enough for me, babe." She said gently.

Lauren turned her head, "Really?" she croaked. Whitney nodded. "He does make me happy, Whit, even if I'm crying now."

"I know he does, babe... because you've been so much happier recently. And happiness looks good on you, babe." Whitney said gently.

"Thanks Mrs. Moon." Lauren said quietly with a soft smile.

"So how long have you been together?" Tyler asked.

Lauren giggled, "That's a complicated question really..." she said, glancing at Joey and smiling at him.

*JL*JL*

"I don't know what to write." Lauren said later that evening as she sat at the table with Joey, the form before her.

"What's the question?"

"What inspires me...?" Lauren said, chewing the end of her pen.

"What have you got so far?" Joey asked. Lauren turned the pad she was writing her first draft on towards him and he saw a blank page, "Ah... um, well can you maybe try and relate it to your art. Write about how you get inspiration for the drawings you do." He leant forward and kissed her, Lauren quickly responding to his kiss, distracting her from her task for several seconds but inspiring something within her as she turned back to the pad once they pulled apart and she began to write.

An hour later Lauren had completed a majority of the form; there were a couple more essay questions she had to answer so she was going to think about them in the morning. "I'm going to bed..." she said softly to Joey. "See you upstairs?" She whispered, kissing him quickly and getting a quick nod from him.

*JL*JL*

Joey walked into Oscar's room about twenty minutes later and smiled when he saw Lauren curled up in his bed. He rapidly removed his clothes, climbing into the bed and moaning softly when he realised Lauren was also naked.

"Joe..." she breathed, moving back towards his hot body. His manly pride increased hearing her say his name when he moved next to her. She wriggled further back and Joey had to stifle another moan as a certain part of his anatomy became very aware of who was lying in front of him.

"Baby..." he said softly, wrapping an arm around her waist, his fingers brushing over the soft skin of her stomach. He felt the moment she woke and kissed the side of her head tenderly, his mouth near her ear. "We're breaking one of their rules..." he whispered.

"Didn't want to sleep on my own," she murmured. Her hips shifted and this time there was no stopping the moan that fell from Joey's lips, however much he tried.

"Baby please... you're killing me here." He gasped, trying to catch his breath.

Lauren reached behind her and took his substantial length in her hand, "You could always put us both out of our misery..." she said as her hand moved slowly on him.

"And break another rule?" he said softly, resting his forehead on her shoulder as he tried to control his reaction to what her hand was doing.

"Be a shame to break the habit of a lifetime, Joe..."

"You're going to have to be very quiet, baby..." he said and her hand stilled on him, offering him momentary relief. He pulled away from her again, "I'll just get a..."

"Don't, Joe..." She said, her hand reaching for his arm and stopping him from moving away from her.

Joey paused, staring at the back of her head, "Are you sure?"

"Yes. If it happens, it happens, Joe." She turned her head slightly and looked him in the eye, "I like the feel of just you in me..." she whispered.

He kissed her softly, his fingers moving lower and brushing over her clit, making her gasp allowing his tongue to slip inside her mouth. He spoke when he pulled his mouth from hers. "I can tell you want this, baby..." he murmured, his fingers stroking her.

"Don't tease me, Joe..." she moaned. "Please..."

He smiled and pulled his fingers from her, taking himself in hand and easing into her, her body squeezing him instantly. Lauren's head fell back against his shoulder and she pushed her hips back against him, forcing him into her faster than he'd intended, "Baby..." he breathed, his hands brushing up her body and cupping her breasts.

"Need you..." she gasped as his thumbs brushed over each peak.

"You've got me, baby... Nowhere else I'd rather be." He breathed in her ear. "I'm doing exactly what I want to do... with the girl I love."

His hips moved faster and she moaned again, her hand reaching for his arm and clutching it tightly. "Joe..." she whimpered as he managed to hit that sacred spot.

"Relax baby... Let me do this for you..." His arm moved to around her waist and he slowed but deepened his strokes in and out of her body. She was tightening around him and he knew it wouldn't be long before she came... taking him with her hopefully. He felt Lauren try to relax her body, her breathing deepening and slowing as she tried to hold her orgasm back. He brushed his hand up her body and turned her face so he could kiss her deeply, lightly grazing his fingers over her cheek. She moaned into his mouth as she came and it only took a few seconds for his own peak to hit.

TBC

**A/N: Yes, I know I haven't specified what the rules were... let's just leave it as everything Joey and Lauren are likely to want to do with each other/to each other is banned and I'm sure you'll work out what was on the list. Fortunately Joey and Lauren are not very good to sticking to the rules or the next few chapters would be such a let down.**

**COMING SOON... TO A FAN FIC SITE NEAR YOU... JUST GO WITH IT...**

**FOUR MORE TO GO!**


	37. Chapter 37: Just Go With It

**So this chapter is like a whole story in one sitting. I know I said the last chapter had pretty much everything... well this is the sequel... amped up a few notches. So ENJOY!**

**Chapter 37: Just Go With It.**

Joey and Lauren walked downstairs together the next morning, having broken another rule and showered together. Max and Tanya were in the kitchen and Joey's uncle passed him the Walford Gazette as Lauren began to get their breakfast.

"I think maybe it's time you started to look for somewhere to live, Joey." Max said.

"Dad!" Lauren said, turning to face her father.

"Your dad's right, baby." Joey said, staring at his uncle. "I was always going to move out sometime... you knew that." Lauren turned back to the side and continued making coffee and toast but Joey could see she was upset and tense.

"We're off to work." Tanya said, ushering her husband towards the door. "Can you pick up Oscar today, Lauren? I've got an appointment and your dad's got an auction to go to this afternoon."

"Okay." Lauren said, only partially listening to what her mum was saying.

Once they were alone Lauren leant on the side and gave up any pretence of being okay. Joey got to his feet and went to stand behind her, "Baby, we spoke about this..."

"I was hoping you would've changed your mind..." She turned to face him and looked up at him, "That I'd be able to persuade you to stay." That I'd be enough to make you stay... she silently added.

"It's not fair on your brother." He told her, lifting his hand to cup her face, "But if anything was going to convince me, it would be you, Lauren." He added, answering the words she'd been unable to voice.

"I don't want you to leave me..." she whispered, stepping into his arms and pressing her face into his shirt.

He kissed the top of her head, keeping his mouth pressed against her hair, "Then come with me..." he finally whispered. It was something he'd been thinking about for a few days. He wanted them to live together.

Lauren looked up at him in shock, "You want me to move in with you?" she asked, needing to check he wasn't having her on.

"Course I do. I can't think of anything better."

Lauren smiled widely, turning back to the side and continuing her previous tasks, "Then we'd better start looking then, hadn't we?" she said.

"So that's a yes?" he asked.

"No place I'd rather be." She said, echoing his words from the night before.

*JL*JL*

Lauren and Joey left number 5 a couple of hours later. They had arranged to look around two flats that were close to the square and one that was just near the community centre, practically opposite her parent's house. Lauren slipped her hand in Joey's as they walked towards the market, glancing up at his face to check he was okay with what she'd just done.

They walked through the market, knowing people were staring at them, noticing their relationship was different to how they'd seen them before. Some of them fell silent as the couple walked past, their conversations only resuming once the pair were a bit further down the street. Lauren looked at Joey and she could see he was watching her reaction, measuring how she was coping with the attention. "Kiss me..." she whispered.

"What?"

"You heard..." she said, smiling at him, "Show them, Joe." She added.

Joey stopped walking, tugging on Lauren's arm as she took another step. As she moved back towards him, his hands rose and cupped her face, placing his lips tenderly on hers in a kiss that made them both forget about the people surrounding them and just focus on each other. Joey rested his forehead against hers as they pulled apart, "Did that do the job?" he asked.

Lauren looked around and smiled when she saw several people with shocked expressions on their faces. "I think so..." she whispered in confirmation.

"Good... now we've got flats to look at." He said, taking her hand in his again and continuing down the road.

*JL*JL*

"I liked them all but the second one was my favourite," Lauren said as they sat in the Vic at lunchtime.

"I'll call the estate agent and tell him we're interested." Joey said, pulling out his mobile and making the call. Lauren sat watching him, trying to ascertain how the conversation was going from listening to Joey's responses. It was practically impossible because Joey wasn't exactly a conversationalist.

"You okay, sweetheart?" Her uncle said as he sat at the table beside her.

"Fine, Uncle Jack." She said with a smile, her eyes still watching Joey. "Joey's speaking to someone about a flat..." she added.

"He's moving?"

"We are..." she said, shifting her attention to her favourite uncle.

"You're moving in with him?" Lauren nodded, relaxing when he smiled at her, "I think that's great, darling."

"What do you think mum and dad will say?"

"There's not much they can say, is there? You're an adult..." he reminded her.

Lauren smiled, "You're right." She managed to look relieved with that realisation.

Joey ended the call and Lauren looked at him expectantly, "We got it, baby. We just need to pay two month's rent as deposit..." The smile that appeared with his initial words vanished at the mention of the deposit.

"Let me..." Jack said, pulling out a chequebook and opening it, "How much do you need?"

"That's not necessary, Uncle Jack." Joey said.

"I insist... you just give it me back at the end of the lease." Jack stared at his nephew determinedly, "Please Joey... let me do this for you both. I want to."

"Okay... it's £1250." Joey said. He turned his attention to Lauren again, closing his eyes briefly when he saw her biting her lip. "If we get them the deposit and some references tomorrow, we can move in at the weekend." He told her.

"Really?" she said.

"Yes, baby." He leant over the table and kissed her softly, both ignoring the slight hush that fell over the pub as their lips met.

"I'm sure Sharon can give you a reference, Joey. Why don't I get a round of drinks to celebrate? Beer, Joey?" Jack asked.

"Please." Joey said as he pulled away from Lauren.

"What about you, darling?"

"Just a lemonade please, Uncle Jack." Lauren said with a smile. He walked over to the bar and was served by Kat. "We're really going to do it, Joe..." she said excitedly.

"We sure are, baby." He said, moving his stool closer to her. "I can't wait to get you all to myself." He whispered in her ear. Her face flushed red and she rested her head on his shoulder. Joey kissed her forehead softly, unable to hide the smile on his face.

*JL*JL*

The couple were sitting with their uncle and both their sisters a couple of hours later. Jack had just gone to the gents when the door to the pub slammed open and Derek strode in. He paused slightly as he saw Joey and Lauren sitting close to each other, Lauren whispering in Joey's ear, making his son laugh. He walked quickly over to the table and yanked his niece out of her seat and away from the table.

"Get off me, Uncle Derek..." she cried out.

"Oh, you have remembered I'm your uncle then?" he snapped at her.

"Derek, let her go..." Joey said, rising from his seat and moving towards them but stopping when he saw his father grab Lauren tighter.

"It's time someone taught you some respect, little girl." Derek sneered at Lauren, ignoring his son completely. Lauren started to shake, scared of what her uncle was about to do. "It's time someone reminded you of what family is _supposed_ to mean."

"DEREK!" The voice rang through the pub, signalling the return of Derek's youngest brother and he didn't take kindly to him mistreating his favourite niece. "Let go of Lauren..." Jack said, his voice much quieter now but his tone no less threatening than it had been before. "NOW!" His last word was louder and sharper.

"Why should I, eh? Don't you see what she's doing to this family? Sleeping with MY son? Her own cousin?!" Silence fell over the pub as all occupants stopped to stare at the drama unfolding. The eldest Branning's words confirmed each resident's suspicions regarding the nature of Joey and Lauren's relationship and brought about a slight murmur throughout the room.

"She fell in love, Derek. They both did. Where's the harm in that, eh? The family have accepted their relationship so you need to as well." Jack said.

"The family doesn't have any right to do that... as patriarch of this family, my word is final." Derek spluttered. "And I forbid it..."

That was enough as far as Joey was concerned. He didn't need to hear anymore. What he needed was to get Lauren out of this situation. "Your word means nothing, Derek." Joey said, stepping forward into his father's face. "Nobody cares what you think... about anything."

Derek stared at his son, his face looking like thunder and his grip on Lauren's arms growing just a little tighter. "What are you going to do, Joseph? Hit me again, like you did when you first got here?"

"If I have to..." Joey replied harshly.

"I'd like to see you try..." Derek muttered.

It was all the invitation Joey needed and he swung his right hand towards the man who he didn't see as his father. His hand curled into a fist as it moved through the air and smashed into the left cheek of his face. He hit him with such force that Derek staggered back, releasing his hold on Lauren who was then swept into Joey's arms so he could hug her, his hand brushing up and down her back as he ensured she was okay.

He was still comforting Lauren a minute or so later so he never saw the retaliation from Derek that was heading his way but Lauren did and she cried out his name to warn him. "JOEY!" Unfortunately it was too late to stop it from hitting its target and Joey's head was hit with great force, a surprising amount of strength displayed by the shorter man.

Jack and Alfie yanked Derek away from his son, his arms flailing as he tried to hit him again. He was soon being propelled out of the pub and onto the street, "Stay away from them, Derek, right?" Jack growled. "I won't have you hurting them both..." He warned him.

*JL*JL*

"Are you okay, Joe?" Lauren asked, easing Joey down onto a chair and checking his face gently, inspecting him for any damage. "You're bleeding, Joe..." she murmured, her finger brushing down his temple. She pulled a tissue from her jacket pocket and began to mop at the blood.

"I'm fine..." he told her, although in reality his head was throbbing pretty badly.

"No, you're not. I can see it in your eyes." She said. "Let's go home, Joe... I'm going to look after you." She told him.

"Really?" he asked and she didn't miss the slight smirk on his face at her promise.

"Yes, really... come on." She stepped back and held out her hand towards him.

"You guys okay?" Jack asked as he walked back over to them.

"Yeah, I'm going to take Joe home..." Lauren said.

"Well Derek's gone so you should be okay..." He hugged Lauren, "It's lovely to see you so happy, sweetheart," he whispered to her.

"Thanks Uncle Jack..." Joey and Lauren walked out of the pub, hand in hand, Jack following behind them. He stood near the entrance of the pub watching as they walked back to number 5, wanting to make sure Derek wasn't hanging around. Fortunately he seemed to have gone so they were soon letting themselves back into the house.

*JL*JL*

Lauren dragged Joey through to the kitchen once they were back at the house, "Sit down, Joe." He did as she said, seeing her open a cupboard and pull a box from the top shelf. She looked through the contents.

"What are you doing?"

"You've got a slight cut above your eyebrow... I just wanted to clean it up and I was looking to see if there was anything to put on it." She said softly.

"Really, baby. I'm fine." He said, not for the first time.

She turned to face him and was then in front of him, "Let me look after you, Joe. Please. The only reason you got hurt was because of me..." she whispered, biting her lip as she began to clean the blood from the side of his face.

"How do you figure that?" he asked softly.

"You were making sure I was okay and didn't see his punch coming."

"You think this is the first time he's hit me, baby?" he said softly.

She paused and looked at him, "It's not?" she whispered, heartbreak washing over her face at her question. She finished cleaning his face in silence and had soon put some steri-strip she found in the first aid box over the small cut.

While she's doing that Joey takes a deep breath, preparing himself for the Pandora's box he's about to open, "No, it's not. He hit my mum when I was young and a couple of times she wasn't around when he needed a punching bag. He hit me the day Alice was born... because mum was in hospital giving birth so she wasn't there for him to do it to."

"You can't have been very old..." she said softly, stunned by what he was telling her.

"Four..." he whispered. "The first time he hit me I think it was only about four months earlier when I was three. I knocked over a can of beer. We were at a friend of his. It was summer and everyone was in the garden. I tripped over my own feet and kicked over his drink. He grabbed me by the shoulders and shook me. Mum was at the hospital for an appointment I think, so he'd been forced to take me along with him and he hated the fact I was there, cramping his style. It's hard to play the big man when you've got a three year old boy toddling round after you."

Lauren hugged his head into her chest, kissing the top of his hair. She wasn't sure how she would've felt growing up in that kind of atmosphere. Her childhood hadn't been fantastic but it sounded like it was a lot better than Joey's had been. "How old were you when he left?" she asked him softly.

"For the first time, not long after she was born... Alice was only a few months old. He went to prison. After he left everything was so much better. He was released and came back for a few months when I was six... only until just after my seventh birthday. He screamed at me after my party was over, then he grabbed me and broke my left arm in two places and that was enough to convince mum that he had to go. I didn't see him again until I came to Walford."

"Does Alice know what he was like?"

"No... mum never told her."

"Not even when she first started talking about coming here?" Lauren asked.

"No... she tried to tell her then but Alice wouldn't listen. She said she didn't believe her... that Derek was a nice man."

"Babe..." Lauren whispered sadly. She could see the toll telling her had had on him and she wished there was some way she could make him feel better. Then she realised there was one way. She stepped away from him and held out her hand. She pulled him down the hallway and up the stairs, opening the door to her room and tugging him inside. She slammed the door shut and shoved him over towards the bed. Joey smiled when he saw her taking control. Her hands carefully began to undo the buttons of his shirt and he helped her pushed it down his arms. He tried to pull her into his arms but she pulled away, "Let me look after you, Joe. You always take care of me, now it's my turn to look after you for a change."

"Okay." He said, kissing her gently on the lips.

"Take off the rest of your clothes, Joe." She said softly before walking over to a cupboard and beginning to root through one of the drawers.

"What are you looking for?"

"Just something I got a while ago... I think it's time to show it to you." She said. She spun round to face him, her hands hidden behind her back. Carefully she walked towards the door, making sure he didn't see anything. "I'll be back in a few minutes... and I expect you to be ready and waiting for me, Joe."

*JL*JL*

Lauren was in the bathroom. She was nearly ready. She took a deep breath and stared at her reflection in the mirror. She exhaled slowly and shook herself. She could do this. Her phone beeped and she looked at it quickly. She smiled when she saw the reply from her sister. Great. They had the house to themselves for a while.

She walked back to her room and found Joey in her bed. His head turned to look at her when the door opened and Lauren quickly noticed the curtains were shut and the lamp on her desk was the only thing lighting the room. She went further into the room and she could almost feel the heat of his eyes as they ran over her body. "Do you like?" she asked.

"What's not to like, baby?" he whispered.

"So you only like it?" she asked with a smirk.

"Why don't you come and see how much I like it?" he said, a smirk that matched hers on his face.

Lauren walked back towards him, deliberately swaying her hips from side to side and seeing his eyes follow her every move. She moved the duvet down the bed, her eyes following its path, "Well, I guess that answers that question," she said as her eyes focused on the part of his body that was most definitely paying attention to what she was wearing. "Such a pretty specimen..." she whispered, her hand circling him and starting to stroke him. "So what do you plan on doing with that, Joe?"

"Isn't it more a case of what you plan to do?" he asked her softly. "I thought you were the one looking after me?"

"You're right..." She admitted. "I might need a hand taking this off though..." she told him, her hands gesturing at her body. Joey smiled widely and sat up, his hands brushing up her legs until they met the pale blue thong she was wearing. He slowly pulled it down her legs and she kicked it to one side. Lauren reached behind her and undid the sheer bra she had on which matched the thong. She let it drop to the floor and moved away from the bed so she stood before him naked. For at least two minutes they were both still, just staring at each other, the sexual tension increasing between them. Lauren took a small step closer to him, then another, finally reaching the side of the bed and moving to straddle his waist. She rested her hands on his chest as she lowered herself onto his length, moaning softly as he stretched her open. Lauren leant forward slightly and kissed him softly on the lips. "I love you, Joseph Branning... even if your dad is a psycho and you had an even more miserable childhood than I did." She smiled at him, her face deepening in colour as she started saying her next words, "I love you enough to try and do the college thing for you and I want a baby with you... hell, I might even want to do that a couple of times, Joe." She bit her lip and he moaned softly, "I dreamt about it last night... I saw me pregnant with your child and I looked happy... happier than I am now and I didn't think that was possible." He smiled at her. His hips shifted beneath her and she moaned again. "The things you do to me, Joe."

"It's just the same for me, baby." He whispered, his hands brushing up her thighs and settling on her hips.

Lauren moved a little faster on him and leant back, writhing above him, striving for that moment of bliss that was beckoning. Joey watched, enthralled by the site of her, the passion on her face that took his breath away. Just when he had thought it couldn't get any better, it had. He was looking forward to the weekend when they would move in together and he would always have this time with her. It felt good to know they no longer had to hide how they felt, firstly from each other and now everyone knew so there was no need to hide it at all.

Lauren cried out his name, her fingernails digging slightly into his chest as she came, her body rising and falling faster as she tried to prolong it as long as she could. If he thought she looked magnificent before, that sight paled into insignificance to how she looked now. It was as if she had come alive and it pushed Joey to his own orgasm. She finally calmed and Joey pulled her so she was lying on his chest. His hands brushed up and down her back as his own breathing slowed. He loved this girl with every bone in his body.

*JL*JL*

Joey opened his eyes expecting to find Lauren lying next to him but the bed was empty and he sat up quickly, wondering where she could be. He found a note from her on her pillow and he opened it, his eyes scanning the words she'd written. A soft smile appeared on his face.

*JL*JL*

"LAUR!" greeted her as the door to the school opened and Oscar was running towards her, wrapping his arms around her waist.

"Oscar..." she whispered.

"Where's mummy?"

"She couldn't come and collect you today so I came to pick you up instead. Is that okay?" she asked him.

If his answer didn't tell her, the smile on his face would've more than clued her into how he felt, "YES!" Her brother slipped his hand into hers and they started walking back towards the square. "Can we get some sweets?"

"If you'll tell me what you did at school today and what homework you have?"

"I read my book in front of the class."

"You did?" she asked him, "How did that go?"

"I was scared..." he admitted, "Everyone was staring at me..." he whispered and Lauren squeezed his hand. "A couple of the words were hard and Mrs. Keane had to help me with them but it was okay."

"Well done, Oscar. I'm proud of you."

"Can you help me with my homework, Laur?"

"What is it?" she asked him.

"I've got some spellings to learn for a test on Friday and I need to learn my three times table." He looked up at his big sister and Lauren could see the small amount of fear in his eyes. Maths was a subject he really struggled with, he could sometimes get himself very confused when adding numbers together.

"Of course I can..." she said, smiling at him tenderly. "Let's stop at the Minute Mart and get some things to keep us going while we work on both those." The smile she was rewarded with was thanks enough.

*JL*JL*

Joey came downstairs soon after he woke for a second time, having had a shower first. He had heard Lauren and her brother return to the house as he was went into the bathroom and he knew what he would probably find when he found them both. What he saw when he got downstairs though made him smile. Lauren and Oscar were sitting at the dining room table and there were sweets lined up on the table in front of the young boy.

"So what is three times three, Oscar?" Lauren asked.

Oscar's eyes ran over the sweets in front of him before looking up at his sister, "Nine?" he answered hesitantly.

"Well done, Oscar." Lauren said. She reached to one side and pulled out a sweet from a bag, passing it to him, "I knew it was just a case of knowing how to motivate you..." she said. "Do you think you'll be able to remember what we've done today for tomorrow? Or do you want to do some more?" she asked.

"More..." he admitted. He looked down at the rows of wine gums lined up in little rows of three sweets, biting his lip as he tried to remember what Lauren had showed him.

"Daddy did this with me when I was your age, Oscar... did you know that?" she told him softly and Joey listened in interest, neither of them having spotted him yet.

Oscar shook his head, "Were you bad at sums too?" he asked.

"I was bad at everything, babe." She told him softly. "Apart from art..." she added, "but you don't want to end up like me, you want to be like Abi. She's the brains of the family, not me."

Joey stood in the doorway throughout this, watching the brother and sister interact with each other. He hated the way Lauren spoke about herself. He didn't understand why she couldn't see how good she was with her brother. What he had just seen her do with him had made his heart fill with pride. His attention turned back to them when he heard Oscar speak.

"I think you're really smart, Laur. You help me with my homework when I ask. It's easier when you explain it all to me," Oscar turned to his sister and held his arms out for a hug, "I love you, Laur..." he said softly as he wound his arms around her neck, "I think you're perfect the way you are."

"Thanks Oscar," Lauren said softly, her voice catching slightly as she spoke.

Joey walked into the room, clearing his throat gently and the brother and sister pulling apart, "Hi Joey!" Oscar said excitedly. "Laur's been showing me how to remember my three times table."

"Has she indeed?" Joey said, studying Lauren and seeing the embarrassment wash over her face. He stepped closer to them both, brushing his hand down Lauren's back tenderly. "What are five threes then, Oscar?"

Oscar turned back to the table and again stared at the sweets, "Is it fifteen?" he asked.

Joey smiled at his younger cousin, "Yes. Seems like Lauren's done an amazing job..." He bent down and kissed her softly on the lips. Lauren pulled away from him, her eyes fixed on her brother. Joey realised what he'd just done and wanted to kick himself.

"Oscar..." Lauren started.

Oscar smiled at his sister, "I don't mind if Joey kisses you, Laur. He makes you happy." He picked up one of the sweets from the table in front of him and popped it in his mouth, "Sometimes I think there isn't enough kissing in this family. Everyone might be a bit happier if there was."

Lauren giggled at her brother's words and leant forward, placing a sloppy kiss on his mouth, "You're a very wise little boy, Oscar." She giggled. She pulled away from him and laughed much louder when she saw her brother wipe his mouth instinctively. "I thought you said there should be more kissing?" she said with a laugh.

"I meant for everyone else... kisses are for grown ups... not me."

"I'll remember that in the future, Oscar." Lauren said, smiling at Joey. "You'd better put those sweets back in the bag."

"Can't I eat them?" he asked hopefully.

"No, you can't. Firstly, you'll make yourself sick and secondly, mummy will be home soon and then it'll be teatime and we'll both be in trouble if you don't eat your dinner."

"Okay." Oscar said, putting the sweets back into the bag. "Thanks for helping me, Laur."

"You're welcome." She said. "After tea I can test you on your spellings that we looked at earlier if you'd like?" she said.

"Could you?" he asked as he finished putting the sweets away. She nodded and Oscar clambered up from the table and kissed her on the cheek, running from the room and going upstairs.

"And you didn't think you were maternal?" Joey whispered in her ear as they sat on the couch a few minutes later.

"What do you mean?"

"You are so good with Oscar... I don't know why you think you'd be any different with a child of your own." He said softly. "Of ours..."

"Do you think so?" She asked, looking into his eyes.

"No doubt whatsoever." She smiled at his words and he pulled her a little closer.

*JL*JL*

"How did the flat hunting go, Joey?" Max asked as the family sat down for dinner.

"I found somewhere. I'm taking the deposit over tomorrow." Joey said, glancing at Lauren.

Lauren smiled at Joey softly, "We'll be moving in at the weekend..." she said softly, focusing back on her food.

"We?" Tanya said, stopping eating and looking at her eldest daughter.

"You aren't moving in together..." Max said.

Lauren put down her cutlery and pushed her plate away, her appetite disappearing at her father's words and his tone of voice. "We are, dad." She said softly.

"We won't let you."

"Dad, there's nothing you can do to stop me. I'm an adult."

"And how are you planning on paying the rent?" he asked.

"I'll be paying it. Lauren will be concentrating on her art work." Joey said.

"I'm going to get a part time job so I can contribute something." Lauren said firmly and she felt Joey's hand settle on the thigh and squeeze it gently. "I thought you were okay with me and Joey being together."

"We are, sweetheart." Her mum replied.

"Then why is this an issue for you both?" Lauren asked.

"Don't you think you're rushing it?"

"No, mum. We're serious about this. It feels right and we want to do this. I want to be with Joey and you're both just going to have to like it."

"Where is the flat?" Abi asked, trying to break the increasing tension between Lauren and her parents.

"It's just off Bridge Street," Joey said, smiling at Lauren's sister.

"Do you want some help moving your stuff, Lauren?" Abi asked. "I'm sure I can get Jay and Dexter to help too."

"Thanks Abs..." Lauren said softly, still staring at her parents. Despite the fact that everyone was still eating Lauren pushed back her chair and walked quickly out of the room, running up the stairs, ignoring Joey as he called her name.

*JL*JL*

Joey pushed opened the door to her room and found her folding her clothes and piling them on her bed. "You okay?" he asked softly. She nodded her head, continuing what she was doing, only the slightest of pauses after his question. Joey looked around the room and saw a suitcase on the top of her wardrobe. He walked over to it and pulled it down, taking it over to her bed and laying it next to the piled clothes. He opened it and started to put them into it for her. Lauren sat next to the case as he put the last of her piled clothes into it. "Talk to me, baby..." he said softly, moving to crouch in front of her.

"I thought they were okay with this."

"Don't let it bother you, babe." He whispered, moving so he was kneeling between her legs. "They just don't want to see you get hurt..."

"So they think you're going to hurt me?"

"Maybe." He admitted with a shrug.

"When are they going to trust us?" she asked, wrapping her arms around his neck and putting her head on his chest.

"They'll get used to it. We just need to prove to them that we're serious about this. They haven't really seen us together, have they, eh?"

"I hate that they always doubt me..." she murmured.

"You just need to remember that I don't doubt you. I believe in you completely, baby."

"Thanks Joe." She moved her head slightly and kissed the side of his neck.

"You should've heard Abi after you came upstairs." He told her softly. "She really told your parents what for..." he said, the smile audible in his voice. "but the best bit was when Oscar said he was going to help us move."

"He did?" she whispered.

"Mmm... he said that if he did that he could move back into his room and mummy and daddy could be kissing again so they would be happy like me and you are." Lauren smiled gently, hearing Joey retell her brother's words. "Take strength from your brother and sister... and Uncle Jack and Alice. They all believe in our relationship, baby."

"I know."

Joey could feel her body relaxing, "You're tired... you should go to bed."

"I promised Oscar I would help him with his spellings..." she murmured.

"Abi is testing him." he reassured her.

She was silent for a couple of minutes before speaking to him, "Will you lie with me?" Lauren whispered.

"Your parents..."

"I just want you to hold me in your arms. I want to feel safe..."

"I'm happy to do whatever you want, baby." He breathed in her ear. He pulled away from her and got to his feet, closing the case and moving it to the side of the room. When he turned back to the bed he saw that Lauren was removing her clothes, stripping down until she was naked. She glanced at him and then climbed into the bed. Joey shut the door to the room and walked back to where she lay. He took off his jeans and shirt, slipping under the covers and pulling Lauren into his arms, "Is this okay?" he asked her softly. She shook her head and he froze.

Lauren turned so she was now facing him and moved so she was half-lying on him. "Better..." she murmured, her hand stroking his chest softly. She closed her eyes and let herself absorb the feelings lying like this made her feel. Joey's scent surrounded her and she realised she would never be able to sleep without being able to smell him now. His hot skin warmed her; it was like having a life-size hot water bottle and she loved it. The sound of his heart beating reverberated through his chest so she could hear it, a constant sound that soothed her more than she thought it would. His large hand brushed across her back and it felt like her whole body was tingling. She let her thoughts drift, everything she was feeling lulling her into a light doze. His hand shifted, brushing down her back and settling on her bum and she pressed her lips to his chest in a soft kiss. She inhaled sharply when his hand moved again and then his fingers were stroking up and down her opening and she was wide awake. "Joe..." she whimpered as one pushed into her, stroking in and out of her body.

"I know we can't do anything but I wanted to touch you..." he whispered. He pushed a second finger into her, watching her face to see if she wanted him to stop but she just stared at him, heat in her eyes. He stroked them in and out of her body and Lauren shifted slightly, grazing her foot up his leg as she stared into his eyes. "I want to taste you..." he breathed as his mouth lowered to meet hers.

"What about Abi?"

"She was going out with Jay after she'd finished with Oscar... to the cinema I think she said. She won't be back till late."

"Then do it..." she whispered. She stretched her neck up and kissed him softly, brushing her tongue against his before pulling away and rolling away from him. Joey rolled onto his side and stared at her for a few seconds. His hand reached up and pushed some strands of hair back from her face, tucking them behind her ear. He kissed her on the mouth, moving down her jaw and then her neck. He moved so he was lying on top of her as his lips caressed her chest, briefly pulling on a breast as he moved lower. Lauren moved slightly as he kissed the underside of a breast, his lips so gentle against her skin.

Joey glanced up at her face and saw the desire in her eyes. And he saw the love... the one thing that had been missing the first time he did this for her. He went back to kissing her, his mouth descending until he reached her clit. He sucked on it softly and felt her respond beneath him. She moaned and he lifted his mouth from her, "Shh, baby..." he breathed, kissing her just below her belly button.

"Joe..." she moaned, her hand drifting down and her fingers running through his hair, urging him back to his previous task.

Joey smiled and lowered his mouth back to her clit, his pull on her harder this time, her hand pressing his face against her body. He could tell she was close to coming so he pulled away from her and one glance at her face told him she was frustrated. "I want to taste you..." he repeated, moving lower and running his tongue up her opening. He could smell her arousal and it turned him on even more.

Lauren could hardly keep still as his tongue slipped into her body. She couldn't even remember why she used to hate it when guys had done this to her before. With Joey it was a magical experience and she knew this time would be no different. There were a lot of things that she had disliked before Joey. Before Joey. She could barely remember what it had been like with other guys before him. She didn't want to remember. Everything she had now was perfect and it was only going to get better. Moving in with him was something she was looking forward to. She couldn't imagine not spending as much time with him as she could. She had become distracted slightly from what he was doing but she was brought back to awareness as he pushed a finger into her and stroked over that exquisite spot that made her body quake. She came hard, her hips shifting as she tried to increase the pressure of his mouth on her. She felt his tongue brush over her, his hands were holding her hips now as his mouth worked her hard. After her peak faded his mouth climbed back up her body and she could feel his hard length through his boxers, brushing against her thigh and then her hip. His mouth stopped at her other breast and he sucked on it fiercely, her body starting to tingle all over again. "Joey... fuck me..." she gasped.

"We can't..." he said after lifting his head and staring at her.

"I don't care if they hear... I don't care that we're breaking another one of their precious rules. In a couple of days we'll be gone from here. I want you... I want you to come inside me, Joe."

He didn't need her to say anything else. He hadn't done since she said the first two words to him really. When all was said and done, he would do anything for her, whatever she wanted. Shoving his underwear down his legs he pushed into her quickly, hearing her gasp as her body accepted him in. He looked at her face and could see the slight pain in her eyes as she stretched around him. He wished he hadn't hurt her but he was doing what she wanted and when she lifted her head and kissed him softly it gave him some reassurance. "Are you sure about this, baby?" he whispered, "I don't want to hurt you."

"I want this, Joe. I want to feel it because then I remember that I'm alive and we're together."

"Baby...?" he said, shocked by what she was asking him to do.

"Joe... I trust you. I know you won't hurt me. Not really." She whispered. "I know that everything we do together is because we love each other." She stopped and stared at him, "I love you and I trust you." She told him, both emotions shining from his eyes.

"Okay..." he said. He pulled out of her and moved off the bed, fully removing his boxers. He held his hand out towards her, "Trust me..." he whispered as she paused. She smiled and took his hand, letting him pull her to her feet. He turned her so she was facing towards the bed and she gasped softly as he pushed down onto it so her upper body was lying on the mattress as she knelt on the floor. "You still okay?" he asked, his voice close to her ear. She nodded, turning her head so she could see his face and smiling at him softly. His hands were on her hips against, tighter this time and she turned her face into the mattress as he thrust back into her body, her moans being muffled by it. He had never been like this with her before but she couldn't say she didn't like it. He pounded in and out of her body, each inward movement going deeper than the one before. Each time he withdrew from her he pulled almost all the way out before slamming back into her. This was exactly what she needed from him. Lauren could feel another orgasm building and she knew it was going to be a really strong one. "You still okay?" he said as he bent forward so his body was pressing against her back.

"Yes..." she whimpered, "So good..." she moaned.

He moved faster, kissing the centre of her back as he moved upright again. He nudged her knees further apart and she gasped as it changed the angle he was brushing in and out of her body slightly, each movement rubbing past her g-spot and ebbing through her body. Joey was on the verge of coming and using restraint he never thought he possessed he pulled from her completely. She whimpered and he could see she was trying to rub her legs together so she could reach her peak. He pulled her up from the bed, her whole body shaking as he did so. She looked at him, tears in her eyes as she wondered why he had stopped, "Trust me..." he whispered again and she nodded her head, relaxing slightly. He laid her back on the bed, this time face up and he lifted her feet off the floor, resting her legs on each of his shoulders. He slammed back into her and she moaned again. The sound much louder than either of them would've liked but they neither of them really cared; they were so wrapped up in what they were doing they didn't give fuck whether Lauren's parents heard what they were doing. Joey started to move again, his pace as fast as it had been earlier. He watched her face, seeing the desire shining from it. Her left hand grasped his right, their fingers lacing together and she squeezed his hand as her eyes fluttered closed. Both of them were so close now and it wouldn't be long until they came. "Are you nearly there, baby?"

"Mmm hmm..." she moaned, opening her eyes and gazing into his.

"Then come with me..." He whispered, "Just go with it, baby." He added, feeling her body clench around his length. She screamed his name, any thought of hiding what they were doing a dim distant thought as she reached her peak. Joey thrust into her one last time, his own release signalled by the loud moan of her name. He collapsed on top of her, both gasping for air as they tried to calm. Every now and again he would move his hips against her and they both would moan softly.

Lauren turned her head and kissed his temple, seeing the mark on his face made by his father once again. "I love you, Joey." She murmured.

*JL*JL*

Abi walked into her bedroom when she got home late that night and she wasn't surprised to find her sister and cousin in bed together. She was very relieved to find they were both clothed and there was nothing on view that she shouldn't be seeing. She could smell the faint scent of sex lingering in the room but she couldn't hold it against her sister. She was as frustrated with her parents as her sister was and she couldn't understand why they had to treat her so badly. They'd told her they accepted her relationship just a few days ago and yet their treatment of her earlier when she broke the news she was moving out of the house didn't seem to back that up. She grabbed her pyjamas and left the room for the bathroom so she could change.

Her parents were walking up the stairs as she came back out and she could see from their faces that they knew about Lauren and Joey being together. Abi crossed her arms and stared at them both, "Don't worry, they'll both be gone in a couple of days." She told them, "Of course, if you keep up like this, you may never see her again. If you keep pushing against their relationship she will leave. And if that happens, Oscar and I will be devastated because even if you don't, we love Lauren... so maybe you should bear that in mind and put your children's needs ahead of your own." She told them in a hushed whisper. "I'll see you both in the morning."

TBC

**A/N: So Oscar, Derek, bolshy Abi, protective Jack and hot sex. What more could you ask for? Let me know what you thought...**

**COMING SOON... TO A FAN FIC SITE NEAR YOU... MY GIRL.**

**3 MORE TO GO!**


	38. Chapter 38: My Girl

**Sorry for the lateness of posting... I've been busy writing a new story all day - which I hope to start posting this week (once this story is done). And I've just had some pretty major internet issues... in that I didn't have any! Anyway, (finally) here's the next chapter - I think you'll like it... Enjoy!**

**Chapter 38: My Girl.**

Joey and Lauren walked up to the door of their flat, getting there before their sisters and some of their friends so they could make sure everything was okay before they started moving in. Joey unlocked the door but paused before opening it. He turned to Lauren and then bent down and picked her up in his arms.

"Joey! What are you doing?" She shrieked, drawing the attention of several people.

"It's our first place together and I thought I should carry you over the threshold..." he told her with a smile.

"I thought that was supposed to be when you get married... not moving in together."

"Then I'll do it again then..." he told her, smirking when he saw the shock on her face.

"Is that a proposal?" she whispered.

"No, baby... When I do propose... you will definitely know about it, don't worry." He murmured to her and her face reddened and she bit her lip. He groaned as he saw her do that and he kissed her softly. "Let's get inside and see what we need to do." He pushed open the door and carried her inside.

Lauren wrapped her arms around his neck as he lowered her feet to the floor and she kissed him deeply. "I love you..." she breathed against his lips, smiling before adding, "And when you ask... I'm going to say yes."

He smiled at her and kissed the tip of her nose softly. "We'd better look around before everyone starts turning up with our things." He said gently. He took her hand in his and led her through the flat.

"Will we be able to decorate, do you think?" she asked him softly, already imagining how she wanted things to look in her head.

"I'll speak to the estate agent. I can't see it will be a problem as long as we don't do anything too radical."

There was a knock on the front door that indicated their friends and family were here to help them and Lauren went to open it.

*JL*JL*

Lauren shut the door as Abi and Oscar left, leaning gently against it, the tiredness from the last few hours seeping through her bones. A hand brushed aside her hair and two warm lips kissed the back of her neck, making her moan softly. "Joe... I'm too tired..." she whispered.

"Too tired to christen our first home together?" he breathed into her neck as his mouth moved forward.

"Well, when you put it like that..." she murmured. She turned her face towards him and he pressed his lips against hers.

"I've wanted to do this ever since we got here..." he groaned, both of them short of breath.

"I guess the others would've had something to say about it..." she giggled.

"I'm sure they would." He bent down and picked her up, turning and carrying her towards their bedroom.

"This is becoming a bit of a habit, Joe." She said, kissing his neck softly as he walked with her in his arms.

"It's one I can live with..." He lowered her gently to the bed, lying next to her as his mouth met hers in a tender kiss. His hand brushed down her body and slipped under the jumper she was wearing. Her breath faltered as his fingers moved up to her chest and cupped her breast, his thumb brushing over the lace covered peak.

"God, Joe..." she whimpered. Her hands frantically moved to the top of his jeans and undid them, struggling slightly in her haste to free him.

His hand moved to hers and stopped her from moving. "There's no need to rush, baby." He reminded her, "We have all the time in the world..."

"That's not why I'm rushing, babe... I need you..." she kissed his lips, deepening the kiss passionately, "I want you in me now, Joe." She whispered.

"Well, I wouldn't want to disappoint you, baby." He lifted his hand and brushed the side of her face, spending several seconds just staring at her, "but just this once, I am going to..." he whispered. "I'm going to take my time making love to my girl and showing her how she is the best thing to ever happen to me." He told her, his hands starting to slowly and carefully remove her clothes from her body. Lauren stared at him intently and she bit her lip as his hands grazed her skin. He glanced up at her face, leaning forward to kiss her firmly. "I've told you before what that does to me, baby." He breathed against her lips, feeling her smile slightly against his mouth. "It's just going to force me to take my time..." he teased her. She moaned in frustration and he smirked against her mouth. "You brought this on yourself... teasing me with your lip like that."

"Joey... I need you..." she whimpered.

"All good things come to those who wait..." he whispered in her ear as his mouth caressed the soft spot just in front of it.

"I'm not feeling very patient right now..." she moaned, squirming on the bed as his mouth moved slowly across her cheek.

"Relax..."

"I'm not feeling very relaxed either..." she gasped.

"I'll make you so relaxed you won't be able to move, I promise."

Lauren stared up at her boyfriend, watching his face as he continued to kiss her face softly. She was naked now and yet again, Joey was still practically fully clothed... she'd only managed to undo the button on his jeans and half-lower the zipper. He'd somehow managed to completely strip her of her clothes with barely any effort. His mouth was on her neck now, sucking lightly on the spot she knew he'd found on one of their first times together... the one that made her see stars. His hands cupped her breasts, the heat from each palm burning into her skin. Lauren arched her back as he slowly moved lower until he reached one of her breasts. He started by kissing the pale flesh, his lips caressing the underside, gradually climbing up the peak until he reached the nipple. "Joey..." she whimpered as he pulled it into his mouth, sucking on it hard, his hand moving to caress the side of her boob. Lauren was briefly distracted by the beep of her mobile phone that lay in the bedside table.

"Ignore it," he whispered, returning to his previous task.

"It might be important..." she whispered, wriggling on the bed in an effort to reach for her phone.

"Nothing... absolutely nothing is as important as what we are doing now, baby." He said as he lifted his head and looked at her face.

She could see the truth in his words as he looked at her and if she'd been sitting up she would've swooned. "You're right..." she said, smiling at him warmly.

His mouth returned to her nipple and ran his tongue across it over and over, causing Lauren to moan and roll her head back. He moved to her other one and repeated his actions, glancing up at her face and seeing the desire written all over it. His lips drifted lower several minutes later. He could sense that Lauren was very close to breaking and he knew he needed to move on. He sat up and held his hand out to her. There was a definite pause before she placed his hand in hers and let him pull her towards him. He pulled her upright so she was sitting between his legs, with her back to him. Joey had his legs pulled up so his feet were resting on the mattress and he smiled when he saw Lauren rest her arms on his knees. He pushed her hair to one side and her head fell forward, revealing the back of her neck and shoulders to him. Starting at her neck he pressed his lips to her, much like he had done when she was stood by the door. She moaned and he could almost feel her body trembling with desire. "Do you want to come, baby?" he breathed against her skin.

"Yes..." she sighed.

"Touch yourself..."

"But I want you..." she whined.

He smiled against her skin, hearing the need for him in her voice. He moved his mouth to her ear and whispering, "Touch yourself, baby and make yourself come."

"Can't you do it?" she begged him.

"I'm going to watch, baby." He told her softly. She sighed and nodded her head. He put his arm around her waist and pulled her back against his body, her body leaning against his chest. He kissed her temple and left his lips there. "Do it, baby." He moaned. She brushed her left hand down her body until she reached her clit. She pressed on it hard and bit her lip, her hips shifting slightly. "Slowly, baby..." he reminded her.

"Can't Joe..."

"You can..." he told her, his right hand reaching for hers and gripping it gently. She eased the pressure on her clit and he kissed her jaw tenderly, "Good girl..." Her body was tense as she sat against him but as she started to circle two fingers around the nub she began to relax. "That's it, baby..."

"I still need you, Joe." She breathed.

"You're doing fine on your own..." he told her. "Move your fingers down and tell me what you feel..."

She did as he told her and her legs fell open slightly as she brushed her fingers across her opening. "So wet..." she sighed.

"Brush your fingers inside..." he said. He watched as she did as he'd said. "I want to taste..." he breathed against her neck and he felt the shiver that ran down her spine. Lauren lifted her hand and she moaned when he sucked her first two fingers into his mouth, his tongue sweeping around them, licking them clean and that action alone almost made her come, never mind anything else she was doing. He pulled them from this mouth and kissed her fingertips softly. This time he guided her hand down to her opening himself. She sighed as her fingers grazed past her clit. Joey moved his legs so they were lying on the mattress and Lauren quickly moved her legs so they were resting on top of his. She shifted down slightly and her legs opened further. Joey could tell she was getting into this now. He no longer needed to tell her what to do. Her fingers were running back and forth across her opening and every now and again one would slip inside and she'd sigh. "Does that feel good, baby?" he asked her in a whisper.

"Mmm..." she sighed. Her eyes were shut but they opened as his hand ran up her body and he grasped a nipple between a finger and thumb, twisting it gently. She cried out his name and arched her back, pressing her chest into his hand. His hand released her peak and he cupped the same boob in the palm of his hand, his thumb brushing backwards and forwards across the peak. "Joe..." she whimpered.

"Push a finger inside, baby." He told her, smiling as she eagerly followed his instruction. "Now use your thumb..." he murmured. Her thumb settled on the clit and he felt her tense slightly. "You're nearly there, aren't you, baby?"

"Yes..." she sighed. Her head turned and she kissed the base of his neck gently.

"Another finger..." His voice was barely audible but she heard him. She gasped as she did as he asked. "You can go faster now... I want you to come for me..." Her hand moved faster and he could see the way her body was shaking. He watched as she pressed hard on her clit and he felt her break apart before he even heard her cry out his name, her head rolling back on his shoulder as her hips shifted repeatedly against her hand. She stopped moving, her entire body still as she tried to steady her breathing. "Do you still want me, baby?" he asked in a whisper.

"Always..." she sighed, not moving from where she was laying.

"Can you sit up for me?" he asked. She shook her head and he kissed her shoulder. He lifted her and slid out from behind her, laying her back on the mattress. Her eyes were still closed until he moved off the bed and started to strip. He could feel the heat of her gaze on him as he pulled off his T-shirt. He undid the remainder of his jeans and shoved them down his legs, stepping out of them and kicking them to one side. He looked at where she was lying and saw her watching him through hooded eyes, her hand starting to move slowly in and out of her body again. Her eyes were focused on his groin and he knew she could see the erection that was pressing eagerly against the front of his boxers. "See something you like, baby?" She nodded, her lip between her teeth breaking his calm facade and making him quickly remove his underwear so he stood naked before her. He heard her sigh as she stared at his length, standing proud from his body, her gaze only making his arousal more prominent. He stepped towards the bed and he could feel her eyes watching his every move. Her hand stopped moving as he stood at the end of the bed and then knelt between her legs. He pushed his body forward, using his upper body strength to hover his body over her. Lauren stared into his eyes, the passion reigniting in their depths quickly. One shift of his hips and he was at her entrance, her fingers brushing him as she pulled her hand away. She moaned as he slowly inched inside her, her body already tightening on him just from that one act. He rested his weight on his forearms as they moved either side of her head and he started to move slowly in and out of her body, making love to her as tenderly as he could. She lifted her leg and Joey caught it in his hand, stopping her from wrapping it around his waist. Instead he pushed it to her chest and she gasped as he moved deeper inside her. She looked at him and then moved her other leg so it mirrored her first. Joey watched her face, seeing a small amount of pain hidden in the depths of her eyes. "You okay, baby?" She nodded and closed her eyes. "I need to hear you say it..."

"I'm fine..." she murmured but he didn't miss the wince as he pushed back into her.

"No, you're not." He had stopped moving now.

"Just sensitive..." she whispered, her face flushing at her admission.

"Do you want me to stop?"

"If you do, I may kill you..." she growled... a sound that turned him on and made his hips shift automatically. "Ahhh..." she sighed, closing her eyes and biting her lip.

Joey had to close his eyes when he saw her do that but he forced them open again and watched her face, studying how she was reacting to what he'd just done. He noticed the soft smile on her face and that she'd released her lip. He realised her sensitivity was because she was desperate to come and he decided he'd strung this out enough... it was time to be good to his girl. He pushed his body up and she looked at him in concern. "Don't worry, baby..." He flexed his hips and she gasped. His hands ran down her body and he took her hips in his hands. "Are you ready?" he asked tenderly, wanting to check one last time that he shouldn't be stopping. She nodded, love shining from her eyes. He pulled out of her almost entirely and hovered at her entrance, holding her gaze. She pulled her knees closer to her chest and he felt her body tighten around his tip. He pushed back into her and felt her body spasm slightly. Her body was gripping his length and if the sight of her as she lay beneath him hadn't already pushed him to the brink of coming, what her body was doing most definitely would've done. So much for him taking his time doing this.

"Joe... please..." she whispered. He lowered his head and kissed her passionately, his hips moving and they both moaned into each other's mouths as they both edged closer. A couple of minutes later Lauren cried out his name loudly, her nails digging into his back. Joey was very close behind her with his peak, his face buried into her neck as he moaned her name and after he collapsed on top of her he sucked on her skin at the base of her neck gently. He didn't think he could love anyone more than he loved her at that moment.

TBC

**A/N: So that was pretty hot, right? Hope you liked it... let me know.**

**COMING SOON... TO A FAN FIC SITE NEAR YOU... DIRTY DANCING... Oh yes!**

**2 CHAPTERS TO GO...**


	39. Chapter 39: Dirty Dancing

**PENULTIMATE CHAPTER ALERT! Although I should say, this very nearly wasn't in it... so thank Popscb who suggested this film back at the very beginning of my starting to post this story... because otherwise this would be the last chapter! It was a film I wanted to put in the story (just so I could get one line from the film in it) and once I got Popscb's review... I found a way I could put it in... although it's a little cheesy - but hey, we're talking Dirty Dancing here... I think we can be a little cheesy. I think Joey is going to make you all swoon in this one. Enjoy!**

**Oh and my second favourite line from the film - "I carried a watermelon..." - Just saying... there was no way I was going to get that in this chapter! :-)**

**Chapter 39: Dirty Dancing.**

Lauren shifted in Joey's arms, her hand stretching out towards her mobile. Joey pulled her back towards him, not wanting to relinquish his hold on her.

"Joe, I'm just getting my mobile." She whispered and he loosened his grip. She picked up her mobile and opened the text she'd received earlier, moving back into Joey's arms quickly. "It's from Whit." She said. "She wants to know if we want to go to R&R's tonight." She said, turning her head and looking at his face, "You haven't got work tonight, have you?"

He shook his head, "No, I'm off for the next two nights." He told her.

"Do you wanna go out with them?"

"Who's going to be there?"

Lauren went back to her mobile, "I'll check and see if Lucy is going to be there..." she whispered.

"You can't avoid her forever..." he said softly, brushing her hair back from her face tenderly.

"I know... I just don't want there to be a drama... so if she's there, I think it best if we don't go." Her phone beeped again and she quickly opened the message. "Her and Tam have gone down to Devon to see her gran for the weekend."

"Let's go then..." he said. "We'll sort out the Lucy issue another time."

"Do we have to? I can live without her in my life."

"It's not fair to the rest of your friends, babe... or you. Either you'll end up losing all your friends or she will, which will make you feel bad." He kissed the side of her head, watching as she sent a reply to Whitney. He knew it was something they would have to talk about at another time.

*JL*JL*

"Do we have to go out...?" he asked.

"You were the one who said we should go." She said as she walked towards him, putting some earrings in as she did so.

"That was before I knew what you were going to be wearing..." he said. She was wearing the same red dress she'd worn when she came over to the B&B after the Branning family dinner. It was a dress that brought back good memories and Joey was already thinking about when he could take it off her.

"What was it you said to me earlier?" she asked, kissing him softly on the lips, "All good things come to those who wait, wasn't it?" she said, smirking at him. He pouted slightly but she wasn't affected, "And don't try that on me, Joe... it won't work." She said. She walked back across the room and slipped on some red high heels, bending over and giving him a nice view of ass. He moaned softly and shut his eyes, feeling his groin start to tighten within his jeans. It was going to be a very long night.

*JL*JL*

Lauren and Whitney hugged as Lauren and Joey walked up to the group in R&R's. "You look amazing, babe..." Whit whispered.

"It's Joey's punishment..." Lauren said with a smirk.

Whitney frowned, "What's he done?"

"He teased me earlier..." Lauren said, her face reddening slightly at the admission, "So I thought he should be punished a little."

The pair walked over to the bar and ordered a couple of drinks, Whit raising her eyebrows when Lauren ordered a lemonade. "He teased you...?"

Lauren smirked at her friend, "You don't want to know, Whit..." she murmured, smiling into her drink as she took a sip.

"So how's the flat? Sorry, Ty and I couldn't help today, we had to look after Tiff and Morgan and didn't think they would help with the move."

"Don't worry. Jay and Dexter helped out and Oscar and Abi were there too. It only took a couple of hours." They walked back to the rest of their friends and Joey pulled Lauren onto his lap as she gave him his beer. She smiled at him and he kissed her gently.

"That's going to take some getting used to..." Anthony said, receiving a slap from his girlfriend.

"Ant..." She said. "Leave them alone..."

"I was talking about Lauren smiling, Al..." he protested. Their friends laughed and Lauren poked her tongue out at Anthony.

"How are things with your mum and dad, Lauren?" Fatboy asked.

She shrugged, "Not great... They're barely speaking to me. It was a relief to get out of the house to be honest."

"So they're not as accepting of your relationship as they said then?" Whit asked.

"Nope... Uncle Jack is furious with them. He said he's going to speak to them about it but, well I'm really not that bothered. If they don't want to be involved in our lives, it's their loss."

Joey kissed her shoulder, his hand settled on her back, knowing that despite the bravado the subject was a sore point for Lauren and she wasn't really as blasé about it as she was stating now.

"Have you spoken to Lucy?" Tyler asked.

Lauren rolled her eyes, "No... probably not going to happen either. Sorry if that puts you all in an awkward position..."

"She'll come round..." Poppy said.

"I won't hold my breath." Lauren muttered, sipping on her drink again. "Dance with me, Joe..." she whispered as she put the glass down. He smiled and nodded and they both got to their feet, walking out onto the dance floor.

Their friends watched as they began to dance with each other. "I can't believe we didn't realise..." Tyler said.

"Yeah... you could heat the room with the sexual tension between them..." Anthony murmured, receiving another slap from Alice.

"That's my brother you're talking about."

"Come on, Al... Look at them..." he said, waving his hand towards them.

"They make a beautiful couple," Poppy said.

"They adore each other," Alice said, smiling as she watched her brother and cousin dance. She looked away with a slightly uncomfortable expression as her brother began to kiss his girlfriend passionately. It was almost as if they'd forgotten where they were and who was around them. "I'm happy for them, truly I am and I hope that everything works out for them but really, I don't need to see a rendition of dirty dancing right in front of me." She said, glancing at her best friend, "I mean, look, if someone doesn't stop them in a minute they'll probably start having sex in front of everyone." The three boys turned towards the couple as they heard the tail end of the conversation between the two girls, suddenly interested in watching the couple on the dance floor, earning each of them a slap on the back of the head from their respective girlfriends.

*JL*JL*

Alice appeared to get her wish just two minutes later when a guy walked up behind the couple and tapped Lauren on the shoulder. None of them recognised him but they could see the look of shock on Lauren's face when she turned to look at him. She turned back to Joey and stepped closer to him; his arms wrapping around her a little tighter.

*JL*JL*

"Baby..." Joey asked her in concern, seeing how pale she had turned when she saw this stranger. It was clear she knew who he was. His hand brushed the side of her face and he tucked some hair behind her ear. She turned her face slightly and kissed the inside of his wrist.

"It's fine, Joe." She told him softly, laying her head on his shoulder.

"Good to see you again," the stranger sneered, sizing up Joey and reaching for Lauren.

Lauren flinched away from his outstretched hand and Joey clearly saw fear in her eyes, along with the tears that were rapidly pooling. "Lauren...?" he breathed, "Talk to me, baby..."

"He's the guy from that night..." she whispered in his ear.

He pulled her a little closer, kissing her on the temple. He knew exactly what night she was referring to and now he knew who it was that caused those bruises on his girl's skin. Joey looked over towards their friend's, meeting the eyes of Tyler and managing to communicate with him silently. Tyler got to his feet and him and Fatboy were soon at his side. "Fat's, can you look after Lauren for me?" Joey said, glaring at the boy opposite him, preparing himself for what was about to happen.

"Joe..." Lauren whispered, looking at his face and knowing what he was planning on doing. "Please don't do this..."

He heard the concern in her voice and he looked at her, "I've got to, baby. He can't think he can get away with doing what he did to you..."

Lauren knew hitting a woman was a sore subject for Joey but she still tried to stop this from happening, "But..."

"Baby, you remember what I told you, yeah?" She frowned slightly, "I always protect the people I love..." he murmured, "Now, please go with Fats, he'll look after you. I won't be long... I promise."

Lauren looked like she wanted to argue with him more but she could see in his eyes that there was no changing his mind on this. He nudged her in the direction of Fats but she stopped and spoke to Tyler before she went, "Don't let him get hurt, Tyler..." Tyler nodded, standing near to Joey, seeing the other guy's friends looming nearby.

Lauren was gone then and Joey took a couple of steps towards the other guy. "I know what you did to her..." he growled in the guy's face.

"She was pretty fucking fantastic..." He sneered back at Joey and Joey clenched his fists, tension increasing in his whole stance.

"She doesn't even remember you!" he told her one night stand. He saw the look of shock, followed by anger appearing on his face. "And when she left you... she came straight to me." He flexed the fingers of his right hand, "I've seen guys like you before... guy's who like to knock girls around." He stepped closer, his voice dropping a level, "Like to show a woman who's boss, do you? You think hitting a girl makes you a man?" he asked, fury dripping from every word he said.

"You'd have hit her too if she'd done what she did..."

"I would never hit a girl... Never... and definitely not someone like Lauren."

"You're telling me that if you were in the middle of fucking someone like her and then she said someone else's name and not yours, you wouldn't be a bit upset?" He spluttered.

Joey smiled smugly because he now knew what it was that had happened and it was definitely a boost to his ego. "What name was it she said?" he asked.

"I can't remember..."

"Like fuck you can't..." Joey growled. His hands rose and he gripped the front of the guy's shirt, lifting him off his feet and causing the guy to look scared. "What was the name?" he asked again.

"Joey... she said Joey..." he gasped.

He dropped him back onto his feet, pushing him backwards at the same time and the guy stumbled slightly. "If you ever come near her again, I will hit you, like you did her that night... except my punches will do lasting damage. Do you understand me?" He nodded, "Let me introduce myself, by the way. I'm Lauren's boyfriend..." He smirked at the guy, "The name's Joey..." he added simply before turning and walking away from him. Tyler stayed watching the guy and his friends as they all bustled around him, helping him back to his feet. He only turned back to where the rest of the gang was sitting when they walked away, tails firmly between their legs. Not bad really, not even a punch thrown.

Tyler started to walk towards his friends when he saw something he never thought he would see in his life. He saw Lauren clamber up off her chair and literally throw herself into Joey's arms, her legs lifting off the floor as she clung to him, her head buried in his shoulder. All of her friend's watched in shock as Lauren broke down in Joey's arms, literally shaking from head to toe.

Joey carried Lauren over to a chair and sat with her on my lap, his hand brushing up and down her back as he tried to comfort her. "I thought he was going to hurt you, Joe..." she whispered to him over and over, her breathing on the point of hyperventilation.

"Not a single punch thrown, baby." He reassured her. She started to calm down once he'd told her that and when he was sure she was okay, he placed his finger under her chin and lifted it so he could look her in the eyes, "Why didn't you tell me?"

"What?"

"What you did that made him hit you?" he murmured to her.

"I don't remember..." she whispered.

He could see the lie in her eyes, "Don't lie to me, baby..." he breathed, resting his forehead against hers.

"I was embarrassed..." she said softly. "This was before we were properly together and I didn't want to admit what had happened."

"Why not?" he asked, staring into her eyes.

"Because if I did that, I had to admit how I felt about you and I was scared... scared you wouldn't want me as much as I wanted you."

"Would never have happened, baby." He whispered.

"I know that now... but I didn't at the time."

"Do you know how good it was to have you back in my arms that night?" he breathed in her ear, "Then you were gone the next morning... and it almost killed me."

"I'm so sorry, Joe." She whispered.

"Why don't I take you home?" he said softly, brushing her hair behind her ear. She nodded her head, suddenly feeling exhausted. They made their excuses to their friends and Joey led her out of the club. Their hands were tightly clasped as they walked in the direction of their flat.

"I do love you, Joe..." she said softly. She glanced at him, "I'm glad you didn't hit him..."

"You are?" he asked, surprised by what she'd said.

She nodded her head, "If you'd hit him, you'd be just as bad as he is... You were the bigger man, Joey." She said softly, "And you just proved that you aren't like your father at all." She added. "Which makes me very happy..."

"It makes me happy too..." he said with a smile. He opened the door to their flat and they were soon inside. They went to their room and changed into more comfortable clothes. It was still relatively early and neither of them was ready to go to bed yet... not even for extracurricular activities. Joey was waiting on the couch, the TV on some comedy programme when Lauren came out of the bedroom, dressed in one of his T-shirts and small pair of shorts that were barely visible beneath the hem of her top. She walked over to him and sat on the couch, leaning against him and kissing his neck when he wrapped his arms around her. In some ways she looked even more beautiful now than she did before when they went out. She had removed all her make-up and her hair was tied back in a messy bun but she looked so naturally stunning.

"Alice told us off when you were dealing with him, by the way..." she said softly, her eyes focused on the screen.

"What for?"

"She said we were being embarrassing... apparently you went all Patrick Swayze to my Jennifer Grey and we were dirty dancing with each other..." She glanced up at him and he can see the smile on her face.

"Well you know what they say..." he whispered, his hand coming up and brushing the side of her cheek, "Nobody puts baby in the corner... baby."

Lauren blinked several times, staring at her boyfriend, somewhat in shock that Joey had just quoted a line from the iconic film. He still managed to surprise her... even when she thought he couldn't any more, he still did. "You can quote from the film?" she whispered.

He smiled and shrugged, "My mum likes the film... Alice and I have watched it a lot. How do you think she knew what she was referencing at the club?"

Lauren shook her head and stretched up and kissed him on the cheek, "Are there any other movies you can quote from?"

"A few..." he admitted, his hand brushing through her hair as she leant against his shoulder.

"Which ones?"

"Jerry Maguire..." he whispered, "Pretty Woman, Titanic and Sleepless in Seattle."

Lauren quirked an eyebrow, "My boyfriend... the movie geek..."

"No, just a son trying to keep his mum happy..." he murmured.

"You know that just makes me love you even more, right?" she asked him.

"Maybe..." he smirked.

She looked at him and then moved so she was straddling his lap, "You should be kissed, every day, every hour, every minute..." she whispered, interspersing each word with a kiss. He looked a little surprised and puzzled, "It's from The Lucky One... I really like that movie and have a bit of a thing for Zac Effron."

"Should I be worried?" he asked with a smirk.

"Nope... because I have a lot of a thing for you... so you should be okay." She whispered, biting her lip as she looked at his face.

"I'm glad you said that because I feel the same way, baby."

"Kiss me..." she whispered.

"What film is that from?"

Lauren rolled her eyes, "Kiss me, Joe..."

His face went a light shade of red and he pulled her towards him and kissed her. He pulled her against his body and shuffled forward on the couch, lifting her in his arms as he stood up. She wound her legs around his waist automatically. He walked her into the bedroom and dropped her on the bed and threw himself on the bed beside her. His hand reached out and he pulled her towards him, "Now I think I've been patient enough, don't you?" he breathed against her neck before kissing him.

"Maybe..." she murmured. His mouth continued to work on her neck and she moaned as he caught that sensitive spot. She knew he had just marked her skin and it felt nice to know she no longer had to worry about anyone seeing it. Everyone knew now that they were together and while some people obviously didn't like it, there was no more lying. His hand brushed down her side and the slipped under the shirt she was wearing, rising up her body and cupping a breast. She pushed her body forward, pressing herself into his hand and feeling him smile against her neck. "Okay... I give." She moaned.

She felt his smile grow against her skin and then he was removing her T-shirt. She closed her eyes, trying to compose herself and she could've sworn it was just seconds but when she opened them again he was naked. How had that happened? It was unusual for him to have removed all his clothes while she was still wearing something. Having said that, his hands were now slipping into her shorts and they were being removed. Now they were both naked. He didn't pause in his endeavours and was soon pushing into her gently. "I'm glad I found out..." he said softly.

"What?" she whispered to him.

"I'm glad I know what it was that made him hit you..."

"Was it a boost to your ego?" she asked, her face reddening slightly.

He smiled at her, "A little bit... but that's not why I'm glad I found out."

"Then why?"

"Because I now know you felt the same way as I did all that time."

"And you didn't know that already?" she asked with a frown.

"Yeah, I did... but this was proof..." he kissed her softly. "Why did you go off with him?" he asked her.

"He reminded me of you... a little bit." She whispered, "But it wasn't the same... nothing was the same. His arm around my shoulder was wrong. He wasn't as tall as you are. Kissing him was nothing like kissing you. Having sex with him wasn't the same either." Her face darkened in colour. "He was awful, Joe. I just wanted it to be over so I closed my eyes and tried to pretend it was you." She closed her eyes but opened them as his fingers brushed the side of her face, "I guess I got a little caught up in my thoughts because it was them that made me come... certainly nothing he was doing. And I cried out your name..." She whispered the last sentence and Joey kissed her gently. "I froze once I realised what I'd done and he was looking at me with horror on his face... then it turned to anger and he hit me. He hit me several times and I guess I blacked out. The next thing I was aware of was waking up in bed with him. My first thoughts after I got out of his flat was about coming back to Walford and seeing you. I know things between us were ropey at that time but I needed my best friend to tell me everything was going to be okay... that I was going to be okay. I didn't intend for us to have sex again... and when I woke up and found myself in exactly the same position for a second time that day, I felt guilty for what I had done. I still thought you had got back together with Debbie and I was ashamed of the way I'd behaved, with you and him. So I did what every Branning does best and I ran." Tears were falling down her face now and Joey kissed and brushed them away.

"I understand, baby..." he told her softly. "I didn't at the time but I do now."

Lauren looked up at his face, "Make love to me, Joey..." she whispered.

"Anytime, baby." He said softly and proceeded to do just that.

TBC

**A/N: So what did you think? Too cheesy? I kind of like the thought of Joey watching all those movies with his mum so she would be happy. Bless him.**

**COMING SOON... TO A FAN FIC SITE NEAR YOU... BEFORE SUNSET... **

**Seemed appropriate to end the story with this one... but will they get their happy ending? You'll have to wait and see...  
**


	40. Chapter 40: Before Sunset

**So here it is... the last chapter. Sad to see this end, I have to admit - although I think I say that every time I finish a story! Thanks to everyone who has reviewed. I've replied to most of them but obviously the guest reviews I can't... so thanks because your reviews make me want to keep writing.**

**Now as for my new story... well it's not a new story as such - more a continuation of a previous story but I won't tell you which because I'm cruel like that. This story has taken on a bit of a life of it's own so it's unlikely I'll start posting until the end of the week.  
**

**Chapter 40: Before Sunset.**

It had been eight months since Joey and Lauren moved in together and things were going from strength to strength. They had, obviously, had their ups and downs over that period of time... both being fiery characters but there were many more ups than downs and their relationship became closer as the time passed. Lauren had got into the Art College and she was due to start next week. She was really excited about it but also a little apprehensive that she wasn't going to be good enough. There was also something else on her mind that Joey had noticed but she wasn't ready to talk to him about it yet.

*JL*JL*

"You okay, baby?" Joey asked as she walked out of their bedroom, dressed in her skinny jeans and a low cut top. They were going over for dinner at her parents. It was a weekly pattern that had been established about a month after they'd moved into the flat. It gave Lauren a chance to still see her brother and sister and while things between them and her parents were still a little frosty, there had been a slight thaw.

"I'm fine... just tired. I finished getting things ready for college today and I think I might have overdone it a little."

"You sure you want to go over to your parents?" he asked, seeing the tiredness in her eyes. He knew that whatever was on her mind had been causing her to not sleep well in the last week and he wished she would open up to him about it but he knew he was just going to have to give her time.

"We've got to... Abi and Oscar have been looking forward to us being there and we don't want mum and dad to have another reason to hate us."

"We don't have to stay too late... we can leave once Oscar's gone to bed, if you'd like."

"I'll see how I feel..." she said. She walked into the kitchen and came back with a dish to take over to her mum's. It had become a habit for Lauren and Joey to take a pudding with them.

*JL*JL*

"LAUR!" Oscar said, running down the stairs and throwing himself at his sister.

"Hey..." she said, smiling at her baby brother. "How was school today?" He took her hand and dragged her into the lounge, both of them sitting on the couch and he started to tell her about school. Joey took the dish off her and went into the kitchen with it.

"Joey..." Tanya said as she took it from him.

"It's apple crumble." He said as she peeked under the foil covered top.

"Can you ask Abi to set the table for me, please?"

"Sure." Joey said, walking into the lounge and asking Lauren's sister to do as his aunt had said. He helped her with it, earning himself a smile from the blonde. Once he was done he went and sat next to Lauren, her reaching for his hand and glancing at him briefly before returning her attention back to her brother.

"Hey Joey..."

"Hi Oscar... How did your football match go the other day?" Joey had spent a couple of hours at the weekend with Oscar, practicing scoring with the five year old for a game he was playing in this week.

"I scored a goal, Joey..." Oscar said, a huge grin on his face.

"Good job...!" Joey said, holding his hand up and Oscar high fiving him. Lauren watched the pair interact and smiled as she saw the two of them. Joey was really like a big brother to Oscar and her brother idolised Joey. Whenever they saw Oscar, her brother was a bundle of hyperactive energy, flitting between her and her boyfriend, vying for their attention.

"Dinner's ready... everyone sit at the table..." Tanya called through from the kitchen.

"Come on, Oscar... let's go and wash our hands." Joey said, standing and lifting the young boy up in his arms. The two of them went up the stairs, returning a minute later and sitting at the table, either side of Lauren.

"Where's dad, mum?"

"Oh, he had to go out tonight." She said distractedly.

Lauren frowned and Joey reached over and squeezed her thigh. This wasn't the first time her dad had skipped the weekly meal. Of the two of her parents, her dad was definitely the one who disapproved of their relationship more than Tanya... not that she was too enthusiastic about them either.

The meal was tense and Joey noticed several times where Lauren bit her lip to stop from responding to a biting comment from her mum. Much as he wanted to stand up for his girl, he knew he couldn't say anything because it would just cause more tension.

"So you start college next week then, Lauren?" Tanya said.

"Yeah..." she replied softly.

Her mum stared at her eldest daughter, frowning slightly. "Are you sure you're doing the right thing, Lauren?"

"Don't start, mum." Lauren said. This wasn't the first time this conversation had happened.

"I'm just thinking of you... I don't want you to feel pressurised or overwhelmed."

"Mum, stop it." Abi snapped. "Lauren will be fine. Try and give her the benefit of the doubt... I think she's going to do amazingly well at college." She smiled at her sister softly.

"I need to get some air..." Lauren whispered, standing suddenly and the chair she was sitting on toppling over in her rush to get away from the table.

"Baby..." Joey called after her but she ignored him and ran out of the front door. Joey turned to Tanya, "I think this arrangement needs to end... we won't be coming for dinner each week anymore. It just upsets Lauren too much..."

"But..." Tanya started, glancing at her other two children, knowing how upset they would be if they didn't get to see their sister.

"Abi and Oscar can come over to ours for dinner each week instead." Joey said, glancing at Abi and seeing her nod her head. "Now, I'm going to go and see how Lauren is..." he said. He walked over to where Oscar set, seeing the little boy look upset and crouched next to his chair, "She's okay, Oscar. Don't worry... How about Lauren and I come and collect you from school tomorrow and we can help you with your homework." He glanced at Tanya and she nodded her head... albeit reluctantly. "Now are you going to give me a hug? I'll pass it on to your sister for you." He said to Oscar.

Oscar wrapped his arms around Joey's neck and hugged him tightly. "Tell Laur I love her lots..." he whispered to his cousin.

"I will, Oscar." Joey stood up and walked out of the house, squeezing Abi's shoulder as he walked past her.

Oscar looked at his mum, "Please may I be excused from the table...?" he asked in a whisper.

"You haven't finished your dinner."

"I'm not hungry..." he added.

"Okay," she sighed.

He got up from his seat and ran from the room, running upstairs to his bedroom and slamming the door.

"Well done, mum." Abi said softly.

"It's not my fault, Abs..." Tanya protested.

"There wasn't anyone else who started having a go at her, was there?" Abi said, tidying up the half-empty plates that were scattered around the table. "If they leave Walford because of tonight, I will never forgive you and I don't think Oscar will either." She added.

*JL*JL*

Joey saw Lauren sitting in the middle of the square on a bench and he remembered it was the one they'd been sitting on just after the arrangement ended. He walked over to her and sat next to her, putting his arm around her shoulders, pulling her against his body, "I've told your mum we won't be going over there again for dinner... Abi and Oscar will come to ours once a week for their dinner so we'll still get to see them." He turned his head and kissed her temple gently.

"Okay..." she said.

"Do you want to go home?" he whispered to her.

"Can we stay here...? Maybe watch the sunset?" she asked him, glancing up at his face.

"Of course we can..." He smiled, staring into her eyes.

"That evening on the beach... I was so happy that night..." she whispered.

"Aren't you happy now?" he asked her in concern.

"Of course I am... but it's different now. That night, I didn't have any worries, you know. I liked it when no one knew about us being together... even we didn't know we were together, not really. It was easier... now everything is more complicated..."

"And you don't like it now?" he asked, not really reassured by her answer.

"I do, Joe. I love what we have... but it's like that sunset, yeah?"

"You're going to need to explain it to me, baby."

"You remember how I said that it was like one thing ending and another thing beginning..." she murmured, resting her head on his shoulder and watching the sky turn red and purple.

"I remember..." His eyes locked on the sunset too but after a couple of minutes silence he shifted his gaze to look at Lauren instead. "Babe..." She looked up at him and he saw her eyes were filled with tears. "Are you saying you want to end this?" he asked her in a whisper, devastation running through him.

"I saying that it's time for something new..." she said, a tear falling from an eye and running down her face.

"I'm still not understanding you, baby..."

"That's it..." she whispered.

"What?"

"Are you planning on doing anything in seven months time, Joe?" she asked.

"Should I be?"

"Probably..." she whispered, glancing down at her lap.

He reached over and lifted her chin, "Talk to me." He whispered.

"I took a test last week... and the doctor confirmed it this morning... I'm... we're... pregnant, Joe."

"Baby...?" he gasped.

She nodded, "Exactly, Joe. Everything's going to change now... I'm not sure we're ready for this."

He leant forward and kissed her deeply, his heart pounding in his chest, pulling her against his body. "Baby... I don't think you realise just how happy you've made me..." he whispered to her.

"Really?" she asked, "We don't have to do this..." she told him, "I'd understand if it's not what you want..."

"Don't you want this?" he asked her, freezing when he heard her last words.

"I do, Joe... more than pretty much anything in this world but if it means losing you, then... I don't know, I guess I'd have to rethink it."

He pulled her against his side and turned his attention back to the sunset, "Let's watch the sunset... then I'm going to take you home and make love to you... and show you just how much I want this, baby."

"I want this too... I don't think I realised how much until I told you about it..." she murmured.

The sun had set as they spoke and Joey softly kissed her forehead, "Let's go home, baby..." He held his hand out to her as he stood and pulled her to her feet when she stood. His other hand lifted, brushing her hair back from her face and tucking behind her ear before his finger gently ran down her jaw as he lifted her face so he could kiss her again. "I love you, baby." His other hand lifted both their hands and slipped inside her jacket and settling on her still flat stomach. "There's a little bit of you and me in here, Lauren. It's part of us, made from our love."

"So you don't think it's wrong?" she asked.

"Nothing that amazing could be wrong, babe." He kissed her again, "Let's go home..." he said softly.

*JL*JL*

Joey stopped her from walking up to the front door, bending and lifting her off her feet. "This again, Joe?" she giggled.

"I figured today was an important day... It's worthy of me treating you like a princess."

"Are you going to be like this for the next seven months?" she whispered in his ear.

"Maybe..." he admitted.

"Okay..." she said, smiling at him.

*JL*JL*

Joey carefully starting removing her clothes as they stood in the centre of their bedroom. "I'm not made of glass, Joe..."

"I do know that..." he whispered, placing a tender kiss on her shoulder. "You said I could treat you like a princess... that's what I'm doing. I've got two of you to be protective of now... and I'm going to make sure nothing happens to either of you."

Lauren smiled, a blush colouring her cheeks. "You're my perfect man, Joe." She whispered. Her hands lifted to his shirt and she began to undo the buttons.

"You're taking your time..." he said with a smile.

"Well, I could rip it off you..." she said, looking up at him. He winked at her and she took that as a yes. Using strength she hadn't realised she had, she grabbed both sides of his shirt and tore it open, buttons pinging across the room. It turned out when she was horny she could do just about anything she wanted. She kissed his chest as she eased his shirt off his shoulders and arms so it eventually dropped to the floor. She then moved onto his jeans and when they dropped to his ankles he stepped out of them. She repeated the task with his boxers and circled his length with his hand. "Do you know how much I want you now?" she asked in a whisper as his cock hardened.

"I think I can guess..." he said, his fingers slipped inside her knickers and he brushed her clit gently, causing her to moan. "I want you too, baby." Her knickers were pushed to her knees and she eased them off her feet. He lifted her and she wrapped her legs around his waist. Taking a step forward Joey lowered her gently to the bed and then eased his cock inside her. Both of them moaned and Joey began to slowly make love to her. "Are you sure this is okay? I'm not hurting the baby?" he whispered.

"Joe, baby's about the size of a peanut I think, you really don't need to worry."

"Okay." He murmured. His mouth met hers in a soft kiss that did wonderful things to her. The man had a very talented mouth.

"Oh, Joe..." she gasped, feeling her arousal climbing further.

He rolled them over so he was now beneath her, his hands settling on her hips and helping her move on his length. He stared into her eyes intently as she tightened on him, he was so close now. "Baby...?"

"Mmm..."

"Marry me..." he whispered, his eyes locked on her face, watching for every emotion to wash over her face, trying to find some sign for what she'd say.

Lauren stared at his face, seeing the vulnerability at his words to her. He really thought she was going to say no... Silly boy. "Okay." She said, smiling at him shyly.

Joey paused her movements on him, freezing as she answered him so simply. "Really?"

"I said I would say yes..." she whispered.

"I was worried you might've changed your mind." He said.

"I'm having your child... why would I not want to marry you?" She tilted her head, unused to seeing the unsure side of her boyfriend. He was usually so cocksure of himself... She leant forward and kissed him, her hips shifting on him, "I want you in my life forever, Joey. I want to marry you. I want this child with you and I want us to grow disgustingly old with each other."

"I want that too, baby."

"Good... now are you going to make me come?" she asked with a smirk.

"Do I ever disappoint you?" he asked.

"Never have so far..." she whispered.

"Never intend to, baby." He pushed his body upright, taking her with him and wrapped his arms around her. "I can't wait until it shows..." he murmured against her mouth.

"So you'll still love when I'm the size of a beached whale?" she asked him, rising and falling on his lap.

He inhaled sharply as he felt her constrict on him further. "I will love you forever... I have loved you since the moment I saw you. I knew when I suggested the arrangement that I was taking a big risk... I wanted to show you how much I loved you and I hoped you would return those feelings... Never in my wildest dreams did I think we would be at this stage though. I never thought it would become a serious relationship. I've never been in such an intense relationship." He saw she was biting her lip and he kissed her passionately. "I know you've grown up with your dad repeatedly telling your mum how much he loved her... but I really really mean this, baby. I will never do what your dad has done. I can't imagine myself ever being with anyone else because nobody has made me feel the way you do... and I don't think anyone ever could. Do you believe me?" In his head he was pleading with her to believe him... he knew she struggled with trusting people.

She was staring into his eyes. "I think I knew our arrangement was going to go wrong as well. I don't know if I loved you when I first saw you... but I did have some pretty intense feelings that confused me slightly. That's never changed, Joe. I believe you. I know you're not like my dad... just like I know you're not like your dad as well."

Joey pressed his thumb against her clit and watched as her eyes rolled back in her head. She came with a scream, her hands clutching at his shoulders tightly as she came really hard. "I love you, baby... both of you." He groaned, his mouth pressing against her shoulder, his hands cupping her breasts as he came powerfully inside her.

*JL*JL*

"What are you planning to do about college, baby?" Joey asked as they lay entwined with each other.

"I'm going to speak to my tutor next week..." She whispered. "I'll find out what my options are... I can't be the first pregnant student they've had, right?"

"I'm sure you're not. We'll work it out, baby." Joey kissed her softly on the head.

Lauren clung to Joey as they lay in their bed, silence between them for some time. "I'm really glad you're my best friend, Joe... but more than anything I'm glad you're my boyfriend... well, fiancé now I guess." She whispered.

"Me too, baby." He said, pulling her a little closer to him. He pressed his lips to her forehead and smiled against her skin. His best friend was the most amazing girl he'd ever met. She was the first person he'd loved and she would be the last. Never had he been so grateful for coming to Walford. Maybe he should be thankful his dad reappeared on the scene after all.

**THE END.**

**A/N: So did you like the ending? Yeah, I know I've left it open... but at the same time I think it was the right place to end it too. I hope you agree. Also, I was starting to run out of films that fitted. Anyway, no doubt you'll be hearing from me again soon.**


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